To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Environmental Health for fiscal year 2024.
Impact
This funding limitation may have significant implications for the CDC's ability to carry out its environmental health initiatives. The CDC plays a crucial role in safeguarding public health through a variety of programs that monitor and address environmental hazards. By restricting funding, HB1967 could hinder the CDC's capacity to respond to emerging environmental health threats, conduct vital research, and implement health promotion strategies that protect communities from environmental risks.
Summary
House Bill 1967 seeks to impose a limitation on the availability of funds for the Department of Health and Human Services, specifically targeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Environmental Health programs for the fiscal year 2024. The bill specifies that the total amount that may be appropriated to these programs is capped at $192,350,000. This legislative move reflects an ongoing debate around budget management and the prioritization of public health funding at the federal level.
Contention
There is likely to be contention surrounding this bill, particularly regarding the potential effects on public health outcomes. Advocates for robust public health funding argue that the limitation imposed by HB1967 could lead to detrimental consequences, such as increased health disparities and reduced ability to manage environmental crises. In contrast, proponents of the bill may argue that fiscal responsibility necessitates such limitations, suggesting that funds should be reallocated or managed more efficiently within the federal budget. This debate encapsulates broader discussions about the role of government in health provision and the prioritization of public health agendas.
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Research and Education Act of 2023 This bill requires research and education activities related to triple-negative breast cancer. The cells of these breast cancers are negative for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and excess HER2 protein, so they do not respond to hormonal therapy medicines or medicines that target the HER2 protein receptors. Specifically, the National Institutes of Health must conduct and support research into the disease. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Resources and Services Administration must develop information about triple-negative breast cancer, including information regarding the elevated risk for minority women, for the public and for health care providers.
No Pro-Abortion Task Force Act This bill prohibits federal funding of the Reproductive Healthcare Access Task Force. The Department of Health and Human Services launched the task force on January 21, 2022, to identify and coordinate departmental activities related to accessing sexual and reproductive health care.
Freedom for Farmers Act of 2023 This bill abolishes the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. This agency, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), investigates and responds to environmental exposures to hazardous substances in communities. HHS must transfer authority regarding certain national disease and toxic exposure registries to another appropriate HHS entity.
Domestic Security Using Production Partnerships and Lessons from Yesterday Act of 2023 or the Domestic SUPPLY Act of 2023 This bill establishes a program and sets out other requirements to promote domestic manufacturing of personal protective equipment (PPE) for infectious diseases and other public health emergencies. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must establish a program to enter into purchasing agreements for PPE produced domestically by manufacturers that are majority-owned and -operated by U.S. citizens. HHS must coordinate with the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security on this program. In addition, the federal government must only procure, subject to limited exceptions, PPE that is produced domestically to prevent the transmission of an infectious disease. If using federal funds, states or localities must also procure PPE domestically. Further, the bill requires HHS to consult with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on a report about changes to federal requirements for PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of those changes on health care workers who cared for patients in 2020 and 2021.
Makes an appropriation to the Division of Public and Behavioral Health of the Department of Health and Human Services for a grant program to expand the biennial survey administered pursuant to the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. (BDR S-1044)