From the Action Board

The annual Midyear meeting of the APHA Action Board was held in Washington, D.C., at APHA headquarters May 16-17. The focus of the meeting was public health advocacy with particular concern expressed about the proposed reduced funding to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Health Resources and Services Administration budgets in the current budget discussions taking place in Congress.

As APHA Executive Director Dr. Benjamin explained to us during the meeting, some in Congress are looking to make use of the newly established Prevention and Public Health Fund recently created through the Affordable Care Act as the mechanism for 'plugging' the budget gaps for public health at CDC and HRSA. Action Board members also discussed APHA support for continuation of the Clean Air Act and promotion of public health concerns regarding health, safety, and equity as the United States considers the transportation system. 

An important aspect of the Action Board's Midyear meeting is to participate in Hill Visits, and I was pleased to visit with Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin's legislative assistant for health during the meeting. I also want to thank several members of the section's Policy Committee (Patricia Alt, Lene Levy-Storm, Kathy Sykes and Chairwoman Mary Beth Morrissey) for their generous time and efforts to review and provide commentary on both of the APHA's annual policy review processes. We reviewed a total of 26 newly submitted policies for APHA adoption consideration and 28 existing policies written between 1950-1955 for archival consideration. It was interesting to note that while the policy advocating for Yellow Fever eradication in the United States had been achieved, policy calling for increased funding of state and local public health departments continues to be a concern 60 years later! Finally, I look forward to seeing many of you at the APHA's first ever Midyear Meeting in Chicago, June 23-25, on Implementing Health Reform!

Karen Peters