Nathan Macias - Texas State Representative District 73

Re-Elect Nathan Macias - Heart for Service, Heart for Texas

	TEXAS REPRESENTATIVE NATHAN MACIAS DISTRICT 73: Serving Bandera, Comal, Gillespie, and Kendall Counties
	For Immediate Release March 15, 2007	Contact: Adam Bell 512-463-0325

TEXAS HOUSE PASSES LEGISLATION TO RESCIND HPV MANDATE

Austin, TX - The Texas House of Representatives yesterday passed legislation to rescind the Governor's mandate requiring that all sixth-grade girls in Texas be vaccinated for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Parents may still voluntarily allow their children to be vaccinated for HPV.

"One of my legislative priorities is to empower and strengthen families. I am very pleased that my colleagues and I are restoring an important and private decision like this back to its proper place, with the parents," said District 73 Representative Nathan Macias.

There are many unresolved issues about the vaccine that concern Texans. The drug was approved by the FDA for only eight months before it was mandated, and many experts have questioned whether its testing was sufficient to determine whether it is safe and effective. Multiple groups in the medical community, including the Texas Medical Association opposed the mandate.

Republican Caucus Chairman, Rep. Frank Corte (R-San Antonio) said, "Governor Perry's heart is in the right place, and we all share his desire to reduce cervical cancer in Texas, but mandating this vaccine without input from the legislature is not good public policy."

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