This week, Congress released the text of bipartisan legislation that would complete the spending process for the current fiscal year (FY) and prevent a year-long Continuing Resolution. Importantly, the bill protects funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and includes some targeted increases in funding for several Institutes and Centers. Although some institutes will receive less money in FY 2024 due to the expiration of some funds originally obligated as part of the 21st Century Cures Act, appropriators in Congress prevented significant across-the-board cuts to the NIH base budget. The bill also maintains funding for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) at $1.5 billion. Finally, the bill protects funding for the CDC’s Chronic Care Center, providing over $156 million for diabetes initiatives such as the Diabetes Prevention Program, and over $58 million in funding for the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. The plan is for the House and Senate to vote on the bills, finally ending the stalemate on the current fiscal year’s appropriations process. We sincerely appreciate all our members who took action to ensure that NIH was protected from damaging cuts, whether by writing their representatives or participating in our Capitol Hill Day. Thank you for your advocacy!
Looking ahead to FY 2025, which begins October 1, 2024, the Endocrine Society is advocating for an increase for NIH. Please visit our online advocacy campaign and watch for additional announcements about advocacy opportunities.
This week, the Endocrine Society released an updated version of our “Obesity Playbook,” an educational resource on obesity for Members of Congress and their staff. Obesity is a public health crisis in the United States. As a prevalent and costly disease, it puts adults and children at risk for many comorbid conditions, reduces productivity, and impairs military readiness. During the 118th Congress, congressional leaders and several committees have expressed interest in addressing obesity. We designed the Playbook to provide members of Congress and their staff with a “go-to” resource about obesity with information for where they can learn more. Highlights from the Playbook include:
The updated version released this week also includes information on weight stigma and bias, new pieces of legislation that have been introduced addressing this issue, and a list of media resources. The Playbook is a component of our Obesity Education Initiative for Congress, which also includes educational congressional briefings and other resources.
Earlier this week, the White House released an Executive Order, following up on the White House Initiative to advance women’s health research. Upon review of the order, we are encouraged that several of the actions are consistent with our priorities. For example, the order aims “to narrow research gaps on diseases and conditions associated with women’s midlife health or that are more likely to occur after menopause and launch a comprehensive research agenda that will guide future investments in menopause-related research.” NIH will also “Launch a Cross-Cutting Effort to Transform Women’s Health Throughout the Lifespan” supported by $200 million from NIH beginning in FY 2025. Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is updating its grant solicitations and contracts to ensure that applicants prioritize, as appropriate, the consideration of women’s exposures and health outcomes. There is more to learn and evaluate in the order and we will work directly with the agencies, including NIH, to learn more about their plans to implement the executive order and how our members can engage in transformative research to improve women’s health.
We rely on your voice to advocate for our policy priorities. Join us to show our strength as a community that cares about endocrinology. Contact your U.S representatives or European Members of Parliament through our online platform. Take action and make a difference today.