Congress should finalize the FY24 funding for CDC

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BCHC signed onto a letter led by the CDC Coalition urging the House and Senate Appropriations Committee to finalize the FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill with the highest possible level of funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is essential that Congress fully finalize the FY 2024 process and avoid the extremely damaging sequestration cuts that would undermine nondefense discretionary programs, including those at CDC. Due to years of underfunding, many CDC programs have not received the resources that are needed to address the many health challenges we face as a nation, resulting in many of CDC’s most effective prevention programs not reaching all states and communities.

CDC plays a leading role in combating the opioid, tobacco, e-cigarette and obesity epidemics as well as emergency preparedness. CDC funds programs for strengthening public health infrastructure at all levels; strengthening and expanding the public health workforce; injury prevention; research into gun violence prevention; suicide prevention; global health security; health promotion in schools and workplaces; the prevention of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, lung disease and other chronic diseases; tobacco prevention and control; nutrition and physical activity; immunizations; HIV, STI, hepatitis and tuberculosis prevention; prevention of vector-borne diseases; environmental health, including the prevention of childhood lead poisoning and climate adaptation strategies; oral health; reducing health disparities; preventing maternal and infant mortality and birth defects; sickle cell disease data collection; preventing antimicrobial resistance; preventing prescription drug overdose; improving the health and quality of life of individuals with disabilities; Alzheimer’s disease prevention and awareness; vision and eye health, public health research and health statistics and harmonizing clinical laboratory test results. It is notable that more than 70% of CDC’s budget supports public health and prevention activities through state and local health organizations and agencies, national public health partners and academic institutions.

CDC programs are crucial to reducing health care costs and decreasing health disparities and improving health equity. Despite the progress CDC has made to meet these needs, the agency’s programs remain woefully underfunded. We urge Congress to prioritize CDC funding and to reject any cuts or damaging policy riders related to the agency’s programs in any final FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

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