Public Health Funding Update
Action on FY2009 appropriations ground to a halt this month as wrangling over unrelated issues prevented the House Appropriations Committee from taking up the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education (LHHS) Appropriations bill. A dispute over offshore oil drilling took center stage as committee Republicans attempted to bring forward the Interior Appropriations bill instead of the LHHS bill. Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-WI) subsequently announced that he does not plan to bring up any appropriations bills in committee this year, preferring to wait until the next Congress convenes after the fall elections. If Congress fails to pass its appropriations bills, government programs will continue to be funded through a continuing resolution at FY2008 levels.
The House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee passed its FY2009 funding bill June 19 and the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its bill on June 26. The chart below provides details of the funding levels provided in each bill. It is notable that for the first time, funding for climate change was included in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health budget. This creates an important precedent for the future demonstrating the need for Congress to address the public health impacts of climate change. These funds are intended for CDC to “develop and enhance programs to help the nation prepare for and adapt to the potential health effects of global climate change.”
If no further action takes place on appropriations this year, these levels may be the starting place for a bill to be considered in 2009 by the next Congress.
Selected Public Health Programs
| Final FY2008 | FY09 President
| FY09 House LHHS Subcmte
| FY09 Senate Approps
Cmte.
|
Terrorism: Upgrading State and Local Capacity
| 746 M
| 609 M
| 746 M
| 746 M
|
Local/State Public Health Preparedness Cooperative Agreement
| 700 M
| 571 M
| 700 M
| 700 M
|
Preventive Health Block Grant
| 97.3 M
| --
| 100 M
(+2.7 M)
| 97.3 M |
Section 317 Immunization Program
| 466 M
| 465 M
| 526 M
(+60 M)
| 466 M
|
Chronic Disease Prevention
| 834 M
| 805 M
| 877 M
(+43 M)
| 856 M
(+22 M)
|
Steps to a Healthier US
| 25 M
| 15.5 M
| 30 M
(+5 M)
| 15.5 M
(-9.5 M)
|
Maternal and Child Health Bureau (HRSA)
| 666 M
| 666 M
| 675 M
(+9 M)
| 666 M
|
Environmental Health and Injury Prevention
| 289 M
| 271 M
| 335 M
(+46 M)
| 293.5 M
(+4.5 M)
|
| Environmental Public Health Tracking | 23.8 M
| 23.6 M
| 32.6 M
(+8.8 M)
| 23.8 M
|
| Climate Change | --
| -- | 7.5 M
| -- |
House Expected to Vote on Tobacco Regulation Bill
The House Energy and Commerce Committee has passed landmark legislation granting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products. This is the first time a committee of the House has ever succeeded in passing such a measure, which follows comparable action by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee last August. The House is expected to vote soon on the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (HR 1108).
All major national public health organization, including NACCHO, were among the 630 organizations, representing public health, health care providers, faith communities, and others, that supported the measure. A strong vote in the House is needed to generate momentum and ensure that the Senate will vote on the bill before adjourning for the year. You can find an action alert at the NACCHO Legislative Action Center that provides the tools and contact information to communicate with your Senators and Representative. Go to http://capwiz.com/naccho/home/ to send a letter directly to your elected officials or personalize and print the sample letter provided and mail or fax to your Senators and Representative.
