LATEST FROM DC
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ASTMH continues to advocate before Congress and the Biden administration
ON THE HILL
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Congress Returns from Summer Recess, Sep. 30 Shutdown Deadline Looms
IN THE ADMINISTRATION
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White House Urges CDC Boost in CR
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Former CDC Directors Warn Against Limiting CDC Authorities
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U.S. Government Responds to WHO MPox
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WHO and Africa CDC Launch Joint Response Plan to Mpox Outbreak
ASTMH continues to advocate before Congress and the Biden administration. Letters that ASTMH led or joined include:
- Letter to House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and House Appropriations LHHS Subcommittee Chair Robert Aderholt (R-AL) on proposed framework to reform the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
- Letter urging the U.S. government to make new and robust financial pledges to the Pandemic Fund before October 31 to enable the Fund to reach its minimum $2 billion target for new investments for 2025-2027.
ON THE HILL
Congress Returns from Summer Recess, Sep. 30 Shutdown Deadline Looms
Congress has finally returned to Washington after the August recess and now faces a three-week sprint to avert a government shutdown. With limited time, congressional leaders are focusing on passing a short-term spending bill known as a continuing resolution (CR). House Republicans have
proposed a CR to fund the government until March 28 to allow a new President and Congress to finalize the fiscal year 2025 budget. Their plan would fund federal agencies at FY24 levels for six months and includes a controversial election-related bill, the SAVE Act, which requires additional proof of citizenship to vote. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has
committed to bringing the GOP proposal to a vote as soon as possible, but at least five Republicans oppose the SAVE Act and several others are
undecided, making negotiations difficult. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
criticized the proposal as "unserious and unacceptable," pushing instead for a short-term CR. Senate Democrats have also
rejected the House plan and are advocating for a three-month CR that would extend government funding through mid-December. President Biden has
stated he would veto the GOP proposal, citing concerns that it underfunds federal agencies at “insufficiently low levels” among other consequences.
IN THE ADMINISTRATION
White House Urges CDC Boost in CR
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
released a summary of spending priorities that the administration would like included in a short-term spending measure. Notably, the administration requested an additional $20 million for the Wastewater Surveillance program within the Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases account at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The administration emphasized the importance of the program to monitoring COVID, mpox and avian and season flu and warned without additional funding, “[HHS] would be unable to continue operating this critical health tool.”
Former CDC Directors Warn Against Limiting CDC Authorities
In a recent
op-ed, eight former CDC directors – Drs. William Foege (1977-1983), William Roper (1990-1993), Jeffrey Koplan (1998-2002), Julie Gerberding (2002-2009), Tom Frieden (2009-2017), Brenda Fitzgerald (2017-2018), Robert Redfield (2018-2021) and Rochelle Walensky (2021-2023) – expressed concerns over criticisms of the CDC and rejected the idea that the agency should limit its focus to infectious diseases. They highlighted the CDC's broader role in addressing critical public health issues such as cancer, environmental risks, injuries and the leading causes of death in the U.S.
The former directors advocated for reforms that would enhance early warning systems through sustained investments in laboratory networks, genomic sequencing and wastewater surveillance. They also emphasized the need for more authority and resources to better support state and local health agencies, strengthen partnerships and bring practical field experience to CDC leadership.
The former directors warned that cutting CDC programs would undermine the nation's health security, stating, “Americans deserve a comprehensive health protection system that addresses all major health threats, not just infectious diseases.” They stressed that the CDC remains the cornerstone of public health in the U.S. and a vital global resource.
U.S. Government Responds to WHO MPox
The administration
affirmed its support for decisions of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare mpox as both a regional and global health emergency. In the statement, HHS highlighted how the U.S. government is closely working with the Government of DRC and other international partners to prevent and slow the spread of the disease, at home and abroad. The U.S. also announced it would donate 50,000 doses of the FDA-approved JYNNEOS vaccine to the DRC. Additionally, the U.S. is working with other countries, the WHO and global partners to encourage further vaccine donations and ensure equitable vaccine delivery.
WHO and Africa CDC Launch Joint Response Plan to Mpox Outbreak
On September 6, the Africa CDC and WHO
announced a joint response plan to spread the curb of mpox in the region. The six-month effort, operating from this month to February 2025, is projected to cost up to $600 million USD. “We are proud to jointly launch this plan which unites all stakeholders in a coordinated approach to tackling the mpox outbreaks across Africa,” said Dr. Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC Director General. “This unified strategy ensures that all partners are aligned on common objectives, eliminating duplication and maximizing impact.”