AACC Backs Increase in CDC Funding

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Dear Chairman Blunt and Ranking Member Murray:

As you work to develop the Senate’s FY 2020 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, the 120 undersigned members of the CDC Coalition and other supporting organizations urge the Senate to match the $8.22 billion provided to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s programs in the House FY 2020 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. This total includes a transfer of $225 million from the HHS Nonrecurring Expenses Fund for one-time projects to improve CDC research and campus infrastructure. With these increases, the House was able to provide additional resources to many CDC programs and to fund important new initiatives critical to improving the nation’s health. We also urge Congress to immediately come together to forge a bipartisan deal to raise the current spending cap for nondefense discretionary programs which is essential to achieving these critical increases for CDC programs.

The CDC Coalition is a nonpartisan coalition of organizations committed to strengthening our nation’s public health infrastructure and prevention programs. Our mission is to ensure that health promotion and disease prevention are given top priority in federal funding, to support a funding level for CDC that enables it to carry out its prevention mission and to assure an adequate translation of new research into effective state and local programs. Coalition member groups represent millions of public health workers, researchers, clinicians, educators and citizens served by CDC programs.

CDC serves as the command center for the nation’s public health defense system against emerging and reemerging infectious diseases. From aiding in the surveillance, detection and prevention of the Zika virus to playing a lead role in the control of Ebola in West Africa and the current outbreak in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to monitoring, investigating and helping to control the current measles cases and outbreaks in the U.S., to pandemic flu preparedness, CDC is the nation’s – and the world’s – expert resource and response center, coordinating communications and action and serving as the laboratory reference center. States, communities and the international community rely on CDC for accurate information and direction in a crisis or outbreak.

CDC is faced with unprecedented challenges and responsibilities ranging from combating the opioid, tobacco and obesity epidemics to emergency preparedness and chronic disease prevention. CDC funds programs for injury control and violence prevention; global health security; health promotion in schools and workplaces; the prevention of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, lung disease, arthritis and other chronic diseases; tobacco prevention and control; nutrition and physical activity; immunizations; reducing and preventing vector-borne diseases; HIV/AIDS prevention; environmental health, including the prevention of childhood lead poisoning; oral health; reducing health disparities; preventing infant mortality and birth defects; preventing antimicrobial resistance; preventing prescription drug overdose; improving the health and quality of life of individuals with disabilities; vision and eye health and public health research and health statistics. It is notable that more than 70 percent of CDC’s budget supports public health and prevention activities by state and local health organizations and agencies, national public health partners and academic institutions.

In addition to ensuring a strong public health infrastructure and protecting Americans from public health threats and emergencies, CDC programs are crucial to reducing health care costs and improving health. Despite the progress CDC has made to meet these needs, the agency’s programs have been woefully underfunded. We urge you to prioritize CDC funding and to support a funding level of at least $8.22 billion for CDC’s programs in FY 2020 as was provided in the House version of the legislation.

Please contact Don Hoppert at [email protected] or 202-777-2514 with any questions regarding our request.

Sincerely,

1,000 Days
AcademyHealth
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
American Association for Clinical Chemistry
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
American Association on Health and Disability
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
American College of Physicians
American College of Preventive Medicine
American Dental Hygienists' Association
American Diabetes Association
American Heart Association
American Liver Foundation
American Lung Association
American Mosquito Control Association
American Psychological Association
American Public Health Association
American Society for Clinical Pathology
American Society for Microbiology
American Society of Hematology
American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene
American Thoracic Society
Arizona Public Health Association
Arthritis Foundation
Asian & Pacific Islander
American Health Forum
Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology
Association of Black Cardiologists
Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs
Association of Minority Health Professions Schools
Association of Public Health Laboratories
Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Big Cities Health Coalition
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
CDC Southeastern Center of Excellence in Vector Borne Diseases
Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation
Children's Environmental Health Network
Coalition for Health Funding
Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service, Inc.
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
Delaware Academy of Medicine / Delaware Public Health Association
Digestive Disease National Coalition
Dystonia Advocacy Network
Dystonia Medical Research Foundation
Entomological Society of America
Epilepsy Foundation
Futures Without Violence
GBS|CIDP Foundation International
GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality
Green & Healthy Homes Initiative
Hawaii Public Health Association
Healthy Teen Network
Hepatitis B Foundation
HIV Medicine Association
Infectious Diseases Society of America
International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders
Interstitial Cystitis Association
Lakeshore Foundation
Louisiana Public Health Association
Lymphatic Education & Research Network
March of Dimes
Maryland Public Health Association
METAvivor Research & Support, Inc.
Minnesota Public Health Association
Missouri Public Health Association
Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse
NASTAD
National Alopecia Areata Foundation
National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
National Association of County and City Health Officials
National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials
National Coalition of STD Directors
National Environmental Health Association
National Fragile X Foundation
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
National Network of Public Health Institutes
National Pancreas Foundation
National Recreation and Park Association
National Safety Council
NephCure Kidney International
Nevada Public Health Association
New Hampshire Public Health Association
New Jersey Public Health Association
New Jersey State Mosquito Control Commission
North East Regional Center for Excellence in Vector Borne Diseases
Oregon Public Health Association
Pennsylvania Public Health Association
Prevent Blindness
Prevention Institute
Project Sleep
Public Health Institute
Puerto Rico Vector Control Unit
Pulmonary Hypertension Association
Research!America
Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation
Safe States Alliance
Scleroderma Foundation
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS)
Sleep Research Society
Society for Public Health Education
Spina Bifida Association
Tennessee Public Health Association
The AIDS Institute
The Arc of the United States
The Marfan Foundation
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America
Tourette Association of America
Trust for America’s Health
U.S. Hereditary Angioedema Association
Upper Midwestern Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease
Utah Public Health Association
Vaccinate Your Family
Vector Borne Disease Network
Vermont Public Health Association
Western Gulf Center of Excellence for Vector-borne Diseases
Wisconsin Public Health Association
YMCA of the USA

Cc: Senate Appropriations Committee