Congress is still working on the budget for Fiscal Year 2007 (FY07), which will be passed in a funding resolution (FR). Currently health programs, including funding for the NIH where pulmonary hypertension research is funded, are funded at the low FY06 levels. Please take a moment to contact Congress to ensure adequate funding of PH research.
Specifically, contact Congress about:
- Adding $2 billion to the FY07 Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill to adequately fund health and education programs.
- Utilizing a portion of that additional funding to provide at least a 5% increase for the National Institutes of Health. A 5% increase will allow the NIH to continue to provide strong support for pulmonary hypertension research.
TAKE ACTION
Steps | Tips for Making Phone Calls, Talking Points and Sample Letters | Details about the FY07 Budget | Members of the Appropriations Committees and Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittees
Steps:
- Contact your individual legislators by calling and asking for the Health Legislative Assistant then faxing the Health LA a letter. To find your Senators and Representative, go to http://capwiz.com/phassociation/dbq/officials/ and enter your zip code. This website also lists the contact information for each congressional office.
- Contact the members of the House and Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittees, as well as the members of the full House and Senate Appropriations Committees. Call them and ask for the Health Legislative Assistant then fax the Health LA a letter. Names and contact information for the Members of Congress who sit on the House and Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittees and the full House and Senate Appropriations Committees.
- Remind everyone you know who is a supporter of the NIH to also call and fax letters to their legislators and the members of the House and Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittees and the full House and Senate Appropriations Committees. The more people calling and faxing letters, the better.
Details:
FISCAL YEAR 2007 FUNDING FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
On January 4, 2007 the first session of the 110th Congress began. The new Congress, however, has much unfinished business to complete. Specifically, the Fiscal Year 2007 (FY07) Labor-Health and Human Services (HHS)-Education Appropriations Bill has not yet been finalized. This bill provides the annual funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
In the absence of an approved FY07 appropriations bill, federal health and education programs, including the NIH, are currently funded under a continuing resolution (CR). Unfortunately for the NIH, this means that these programs are being funded at the low FY06 level. The present CR will expire on February 15 and in its place a funding resolution (FR) will be passed, lasting through the end of FY07.
Due to the critical role of federal health and education programs, appropriators are considering boosting funding for some programs above the FY06 level. The proposal would add $2 billion to the funds available for the yearlong FR. It is crucial that all members of Congress understand that an additional $2 billion is essential to adequately fund federal health and education programs, and as a result allow adequate growth for the NIH.
The House and Senate Labor-HHS Appropriation Subcommittees will decide what programs have the highest priority and fund them accordingly. These subcommittees include new members who may not be familiar with the NIH. The newly appointed members of the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee are: Barbara Lee (D-CA-9), Tom Udall (D-NM-3), Mike Honda (D-CA-15), Betty McCollum (D-MN-4), Tim Ryan (D-OH-17), and Dennis Rehberg (R-MT At-Large). The new members of the Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee are Jack Reed (D-RI) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ). In order for the NIH to receive a boost in funding, an additional $2 billion dollars must be added to the yearlong FR and members of the House and Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittees must view the NIH as a high priority.
In order to ensure that $2 billion is added to the yearlong funding resolution and that the NIH receives a 5% increase, please contact members of Congress and ask for their support.
