APHA voting record scores Congress on public health

A surging opioid epidemic. Widespread flu activity. Another drop in U.S. life expectancy. These pressing problems are on the radar of most public health departments and agencies nowadays. And fixing those problems requires support for evidence-based policies and funding.

That’s why APHA publishes its annual public health voting record.

“Our elected officials have enormous influence in how we respond to public health challenges,” said Don Hoppert, director of government relations at APHA. “While the report is not a comprehensive measure of support for public health on Capitol Hill, it’s a good snapshot of where our elected representatives stand on issues we care about. It’s one tool to help us hold members of Congress accountable for their actions.”

This year’s congressional record examines actions taken during the first session of the 115th Congress, including six votes in the Senate and eight votes in the House of Representatives. The report includes votes on repealing the Affordable Care Act; restricting funding for family planning and related preventive health services; and rolling back environmental protections. It also includes a description of each measure, the bill number, APHA’s position and how each member of Congress voted.

“There is a lot at stake right now for public health, including decisions about how much money Congress will allocate for public health in the coming year. In fact, we’ve launched a Speak For Health campaign to mobilize support for public heath funding and science. And we encourage public health advocates to use the voting record to press for more support in Congress.”

APHA members and subscribers of The Nation’s Health can download a copy by visiting the newspaper online.