Public Health Funding

A dramatic increase in funding is necessary for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and other public health service agencies. These increases need to be started immediately and sustained over time. Past budget cuts, coupled with new challenges and responsibilities, have caused these critically important agencies to do more with less and to struggle to provide basic public health services, like state-based chronic disease prevention programs, as well as to effectively respond to public health emergencies and natural or man-made disasters. A larger investment is required in our public health agencies and programs to equip them with the necessary resources to restore their effectiveness and adequately protect the health of the American public.

The following resources provide additional information on APHA's advocacy efforts to increase public health funding.

TAKE ACTION! Respond to APHA's legislative alert urging Congress to fully fund public health programs in Fiscal Year 2010.

NEW: APHA testimony to the House on the FY 2010 appropriation for the Department of Health and Human Services (May 1, 2009)

APHA coordinates two coalitions that advocate for public health funding:

• CDC Coalition
  • CDC Coalition testimony to the House on the FY 2010 appropriation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (May 1, 2009)
  • CDC Coalition letter to the House and Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittees in support of at least $8.6 billion for CDC in FY 2010 (April 14, 2009)
  • Coalition one-pager with FY2010 funding recommendation
  • Coalition letter urging President-elect Obama to support and fund CDC and its core programs (December 19, 2008)
• Friends of HRSA
  • Friends of HRSA testimony to the House on the FY 2010 appropriation for the Health Resources and Services Administration (May 1, 2009)
  • Friends of HRSA letter to the House and Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittees in support of at least $8.5 billion for HRSA in FY 2010 (April 13, 2009)
  • Coalition one-pager with FY2010 funding recommendation
  • Coalition letter urging President-elect Obama to support and fund HRSA and its core programs (December 19, 2008)

APHA participates in the Coalition for Health Funding, an alliance of 50 national health organizations that works to ensure that funding for the programs and agencies that comprise the U.S. Public Health Service is adequate to meet public need.

• Coalition letter urging House and Senate leadership to support the highest possible funding levels for the FY2009 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bills (December 2, 2008)

Letters sent to Congress in support of public health funding in fiscal year 2010:

• Coalition letter advocating for a tax on soft drinks to fight the rising rate of obesity in American’s and to help subsidize health care reform (June 29, 2009)

• APHA letter urging the Senate to include funding for the Guide to Community Preventive Services in fiscal year 2010 (June 26, 2008)

• APHA letter commending the inclusion of public health measures in the House health reform bill discussion and urging Congressmen to push the Congressional Budget Office to score preventive programs (June 26, 2009)

• Coalition letter to Senator Baucus in support of a soft drink tax to finance health reform and reduce obesity (June 2009)
• Coalition letter proposing a soft drink tax to fight obesity and raise revenues for the new health care system (June 17, 2009)
• Coalition letter opposing CDC budget cuts affecting the National Center for Health Marketing (June 11, 2009)

• Coalition letter supporting House-passed funding for pandemic flu preparedness and urging the incorporation of additional preparedness measures in the Supplemental Appropriations Act (June 2, 2009)

• HPNEC Coalition letter regarding FY 2010 funding for HRSA Title VII and Title VIII programs (May 11, 2009)
• Coalition letter in support of fiscal 2010 funding for the CDC's Environmental Health Laboratory and the National Environmental and Health Outcome Tracking Network (April 24, 2009) 
• Coalition letter in support of global tuberculosis funding in FY 2010 (April 3, 2009)
• Coalition letter in support of domestic tuberculosis funding in FY 2010 (April 2, 2009)    
• Coalition letter in support of funding for the Title X family planning program in FY 2010 (March 31, 2009)
• Coalition letter in support of funding for the entire public health service (March 25, 2009) 
• Coalition letter in support of funding for the National Center on Health Statistics for FY 2010 (March 18, 2009)
• Coalition letter in support of funding for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (March 18, 2009)