Legislative Resources

In December 2021 NACCHO's Board of Directors approved the 2022 Legislative and Policy Agenda:

In 2022, NACCHO will:

• Strengthen and support the public health workforce.
• Bolster and improve access to federal public health funding, including resources to support public health infrastructure and data modernization at the local health department level.
• Address wide range of public health concerns through work in coalition with partners.
• Ensure federal public health funding flows from the federal level to local health departments quickly and equitably.

NACCHO's advocacy toolkit provides all the background information you need to engage with Members of Congress.

Here you can find information on the Congressional committees that are essential to crafting public health legislation and funding. Below are committees that authorize legislation and committees that authorize appropriations or spending levels for public health programs.

Appropriations Committees
House Appropriations Committee

• Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education Subcommittee
• Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration Subcommittee

Senate Appropriations Committee

• Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education Subcommittee
• Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration Subcommittee

Authorizing Committees (Health Jurisdiction)
House

• Energy and Commerce Committee (Medicaid, Medicare Part B and D discretionary public health programs)
  
• Health Subcommittee
• Ways and Means Committee (Medicare and healthcare financing)

Senate

• Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (discretionary public health issues)
• Finance Committee (Medicare/Medicaid)

Local health department officials are encouraged to contact their Members of Congress to educate them on issues surrounding public health. When health officials educate, advocate, or lobby Members of Congress on public health issues they need to be informed as to what exactly defines advocating, educating, and when they are lobbying. NACCHO has developed a fact sheet to identify the differences between advocacy, education, and lobbying.