The AAMC joined 138 other organizations in a December 2023 letter urging congressional leadership to provide the highest possible funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in fiscal year (FY) 2024. The letter also requested that Congress finalize the FY 2024 appropriations process to avoid sequestration cuts that would further limit spending for nondefense discretionary programs and reject any cuts or related damaging policy riders.
Last year, the House postponed further consideration of its FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS-Ed) spending bill (H.R. 5894). The House bill contained large cuts for many of the CDC programs, but also includes adopted amendments that would block the CDC from supporting firearm injury and mortality prevention research [refer to Washington Highlights, Nov. 17, 2023]. The bipartisan Senate FY 2024 LHHS-Ed spending bill (S. 2624), which was approved by the full Senate Appropriations Committee on July 27, 2023, would maintain funding for public health programs, while providing an increase in funding for a few of the Health Resources and Services Administration Title VII and VIII programs [refer to Washington Highlights, July 28, 2023]. FY 2023 funding for the LHHS-Ed and eight other spending bills have been extended through Feb. 2 [refer to Washington Highlights, Nov. 17, 2023].