APHA welcomes inclusion of strong public health provisions in President Biden’s proposed FY 2023 budget
Date: March 29, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Media Relations
Funding increases outlined in President Biden’s fiscal year 2023 budget proposal would bolster the public health system’s ability to combat the many urgent challenges facing the nation, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according to the American Public Health Association.
The president’s proposed budget provides $127.3 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Health and Human Services. Within the total, the proposal allocates $10.67 billion in funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a $2.27 billion, or 21% increase, from fiscal year 2022.
“The administration’s proposed FY 2023 budget rightly focuses on the critical need to improve the nation’s public health infrastructure, workforce and pandemic preparedness capabilities,” said APHA Executive Director Georges Benjamin, MD. “We appreciate the administration’s continued focus on several key public health priorities and look forward to working with them and all members of Congress to support these crucial investments.”
The president’s proposed budget provides significantly increased funding for a number of critical public health issues, including:
- $110 million in funding for CDC’s Climate and Health Program and $100 million for climate and health research at the National Institutes of Health;
- $35 million in funding for gun violence prevention research at CDC and $25 million at the National Institutes of Health;
- $153 million for CDC’s Social Determinants of Health program to support states and territories in improving health equity and data collection for racial and ethnic populations;
- $600 million for CDC to support core public health infrastructure activities at the state, tribal, local, and territorial levels;
- more than $470 million to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity rates nationwide;
- $953 million for HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Block Grant;
- $850 million to support the critical effort to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States;
- $265 million for CDC’s Community Violence Intervention Initiative
- $81.7 billion in new mandatory funding for activities aimed at future pandemic preparedness and response, including $28 billion in mandatory CDC funding to strengthen public health infrastructure, workforces, lab capacity and global health activities;
- $25 billion in mandatory funding over 10 years for a new Adult Vaccine program at CDC increased coverage for mental health and substance use disorders in both private and governmental insurance systems, including new investments related to addressing these critical public health issues.
“We thank the administration for the important proposed funding increases and new initiatives outlined in President Biden’s budget proposal, and we look forward to working with the administration and Congress to enact the strongest possible funding for all public health programs in FY 2023,” Benjamin said.
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The American Public Health Association champions the health of all people and all communities. We are the only organization that combines a 150-year perspective, a broad-based member community and the ability to influence federal policy to improve the public’s health. Learn more at www.apha.org.