February 1, 2006
Dear President Bush and Members of Congress:
The health of all Americans is at risk from an unprecedented range of threats, including: chronic diseases and disabilities, infectious and foodborne illnesses, biological and chemical terrorism, mental disorders and substance abuse, catastrophic injuries, and a shortage of healthcare providers and trained public health workers. And yet, last year, Congress cut public health programs by over $1 billion, many of which continue to struggle to respond to sharply increased demands in the wake of the greatest natural disaster to strike the United States: Hurricane Katrina.
Consequently, the undersigned organizations urge you to increase funding for public health through the Function 550/discretionary budget allocation in Fiscal Year 2007 by an amount reflecting application of appropriate inflation factors to the final FY 2006 funding level plus $1 billion. The rationale for this request is two-fold: 1) to maintain purchasing power for health programs; and 2) to restore funding for programs cut in the FY 2006 appropriations process and accommodate program initiatives to protect and strengthen our nations health. Without additional resources on this scale, our nations public health system the continuum of medical research, prevention, treatment and training programs cannot respond adequately to the threats, challenges and opportunities facing the nation.
Our request does not include, but rather is over and above, the Administrations anticipated funding increase for pandemic flu preparedness in the FY 2007 budget request.
To respond to this letter, please contact Dr. Marcia Mabee, Executive Director, Coalition for Health Funding: mmabee@ix.netcom.com; Voice 703-709-3001; FAX 703-709-3003; 11479 Waterview, Suite 200; Reston, VA 20190.
Sincerely,
AARP
Academy of General Dentistry
Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research
Administrators of Internal Medicine
Advancement of Psychology
Advancement of Social Work Research
Advocate Health Care
African American Health Alliance
AIDS Action
AIDS Action Baltimore
AIDS Action in Mississippi
AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth & Families
AIDS Foundation of Chicago
AIDS Project Los Angeles
AIDS Survival Project
Allegheny-Singer Research Institute
Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine
Alliance for Childhood Cancer
Alliance for Children and Families
Alliance of Cardiovascular Professionals
Alliance of the American Dental Association
Alstrom Syndrome International
Alzheimer's Association
Ambulatory Pediatric Association
America Walks
Americas Blood Centers
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
American Academy of Emergency Medicine
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of HIV Medicine
American Academy of Neurology
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Physician Assistants
American Association for Dental Research
American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
American Association for Respiratory Care
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
American Association for the Surgery of Trauma
American Association of Children's Residential Centers
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
American Association of Colleges of Podiatric
American Association of Dental Consultants
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
American Association of Orthodontists
American Association of Pastoral Counselors
American Association of Public Health Dentistry
American Association of Tissue Banks
American Association of University Professors
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association
American Brain Coalition
American Cancer Society
American College of Cardiology
American College of Clinical Pharmacology
American College of Clinical Pharmacy
American College of Dentists
American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists
American College of Osteopathic Surgeons
American College of Physicians
American College of Preventive Medicine
American College of Sports Medicine
American College of Surgeons
American College Health Association
American Counseling Association
American Dental Association
American Dental Education Association
American Dental Hygienists' Association
American Diabetes Association
American Dietetic Association
American Federation for Medical Research
American Gastroenterological Association
American Geriatrics Society
American Group Psychotherapy Association
American Heart Association
American Hospital Association
American Institute for Medical and Biological
Engineering
American Liver Foundation
American Lung Association
American Medical Informatics Association
American Medical Student Association
American Music Therapy Association
American Nephrology Nurses' Association
American Nurses Association
American Occupational Therapy Association
American Optometric Association
American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics
American Osteopathic Association
American Pediatric Society
American Physical Therapy Association
American Physiological Society
American Podiatric Medical Association
American Psychiatric Association
American Psychoanalytic Association
American Psychological Association
American Psychotherapy Association
American Public Health Association
American School Health Association
American Sickle Cell Anemia Association
American Social Health Association
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology
American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
American Society for Microbiology
American Society for Pharmacology &
Experimental Therapeutics
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
American Society of Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists, Inc.
American Society of Hematology
American Society of Nephrology
American Society of Pediatric Nephrology
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
American Society of Transplant Surgeons
American Society of Transplantation
American Sociological Association
American Stroke Association
American Student Dental Association
American Thoracic Society
Americans for Medical Progress
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research
A O North America
Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation
APS Foundation of America, Inc.
Arthritis Foundation
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
Association for Professionals in Infection Control
and Epidemiology
Association for Psychological Science
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Association of Academic Health Centers
Association of American Medical Colleges
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
Association of Clinical Research Training
Association of Departments of Family Medicine
Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors
Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs
Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs
Association of Minority Health Professions Schools
Association of Nutrition Services Agencies
Association of Organ Procurement Organizations
Association of Professors of Medicine
Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine
Association of Public Health Laboratories
Association of Schools of Public Health
Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Association of Subspecialty Professors
Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine
Association of University Centers on Disabilities
Association of University Programs in Health Administration
Association of Womens Health, Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
BCCNS Life Support Network
Bienestar
Biophysical Society
BJC HealthCare
Boston University School of Medicine
Boys Town National Research Hospital
Brain Injury Association of America
California Medical Association
Campaign for Public Health
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Care Alliance Health Center
CARES Foundation, Inc.
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Center for the Advancement of Health
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Child Neurology Society
Children's Dental Health Project
Christopher Reeve Foundation
Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine
Coalition for American Trauma Care
Coalition for Health Funding
Coalition for Health Services Research
Coalition for the Advancement of Health Through
Behavioral and Social Sciences Research
Coalition of Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissue
Coalition of National Health Education Organizations
Coalition to Protect Research
Columbia University Medical Center
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
Communities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief
Community Health Councils, Inc.
Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project
Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals
Consortium of Social Science Associations
Cooley's Anemia Foundation
Cornell University
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
Creighton University
Critical Illness and Trauma Foundation
Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Developmental Disabilities Research Centers Association
Digestive Disease National Coalition
Directors of Health Promotion and Health Education
Duke University Medical Center and Health System
Dystonia Medical Research Foundation
East Coast Greenway Alliance
East Tennessee State University, Health Sciences Division
Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma
Emergency Nurses Association
Epilepsy Foundation
ESA, Inc.
Eta Sigma Gamma, the Professional Health
Education Honor Society
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Federation of Behavioral, Psychological, and Cognitive Sciences
Flint's Youth Violence Prevention Center
FRAXA Research Foundation
Friends of Indian Health
Gay Mens Health Crisis
General Clinical Research Centers Program Directors Association
Genetic Alliance
Genetic Alliance BioBank
Genetics Society of America
Global Health Council
Gluten Intolerance Group of NA
GW Cancer Institute
Harvard University
Health Professions Network
Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS)
Heart Rhythm Society
Hemophilia Federation of America
Hepatitis Foundation International
Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome Network Inc.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation, Inc
Hispanic & Native American Center of Excellence
Hispanic-Serving Health Professions Schools
HIV Medicine Association
Housing Works
Huntingtons Disease Society of America
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association
IEEE-USA
Infectious Diseases Society of America
International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
International Health Racquet & Sports Club Association
Interstitial Cystitis Association
IsoDicentric 15 Exchange, Advocacy & Support
Jeffrey Modell Foundation
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International
Lymphoma Research Foundation
March of Dimes
Mayo Clinic
Medical College of Wisconsin
Medical Library Association/Association of
Academic Health Sciences Libraries
Medicine-Pediatrics Program Directors Association
Meharry Medical College
Meridian Health
MLD Foundation
Morehouse School of Medicine
Mount Sinai Medical Center
Muscular Dystrophy Association
Myasthenia Gravis Foundation
NAADAC- The Association for Addiction Professionals
NATCO - The Organization for Transplant Professionals
National AHEC Organization
National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research
National Alliance for Thrombosis and Thrombophilia
National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors
National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Alopecia Areata Foundation
National Association for Children's Behavioral Health
National Association for Geriatric Education
National Association for Geriatric Education Centers
National Association for Health and Fitness
National Association for Sport and Physical Education
National Association of Children's Hospitals
National Association of Community Health Centers
National Association of Counties
National Association of County and City Health Officials
National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors
National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians
National Association of Geriatric Education Centers
National Association of Local Boards of Health
National Association of Medical Minority Educators, Inc
National Association of People with AIDS
National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems
National Association of School Psychologists
National Association of Social Workers
National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Directors
National Association of State EMS Officials
National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
National Ataxia Foundation
National Black Nurses Association
National Caucus of Basic Biomedical Science Chairs
National Coalition for Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases
National Coalition of STD Directors
National Eczema Association for Science & Education
National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
National Hispanic Medical Association
National Indian Health Board
National Kidney Foundation
National League for Nursing
National Lymphedema Network
National Marfan Foundation
National Mental Health Association
National Mental Health Planning and Advisory Councils
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
National Network of Health Career Programs
National Organization for Rare Disorders
National Organization of Vascular Anomalies
National Osteoporosis Foundation
National Psoriasis Foundation
National Recreation and Park Association
National Sleep Foundation
National Student Nurses' Association
National WIC Association
NephCure Foundation
Neurofibromatosis, Inc.
Neuropathy Association
Neuropathy Research Foundation
New York AIDS Coalition
North American Primary Care Research Group
Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
NYU School of Medicine
Oncology Nursing Society
Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation
Ovarian Cancer National Alliance
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
Parkinsons Action Network
Partnership for Prevention
Patient Services Incorporated
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Planned Parenthood
Population Association of America/Association of Population Centers
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association
Project Inform
Propionic Acidemia Foundation
Public Health Institute
Pulmonary Hypertension Association
PXE International
Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Coalition
Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital
Research!America
Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation
San Francisco AIDS Foundation
Scleroderma Foundation
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States
Shape Up America!
Shaping America's Health: Association for Weight Management and Obesity Prevention
Sjögren's Syndrome Foundation
Society for Investigative Dermatology
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Society for Neuroscience
Society for Pediatric Research
Society for Public Health Education
Society for Research in Child Development
Society for Vascular Nursing
Society for Women's Health Research
Society of Critical Care Medicine
Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates
Society of General Internal Medicine
Society of Gynecologic Oncologists
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine
Society of Trauma Nurses
Special Care Dentistry
Spina Bifida Association of America
Stanford University School of Medicine
SUNY Upstate Medical University
TeenScreen®
The AIDS Institute
The ALS Association
The American Association of Immunologists
The American Society for Cell Biology
The American Society of Human Genetics
The Endocrine Society
The Gerontological Society of America
The Joint Steering Committee for Public Policy
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.
The Ohio State University Medical Center
The Protein Society
The Title II Community AIDS National Network
Tourette Syndrome Association
Trust for Americas Health
University Hospitals of Cleveland
University of California
University of Chicago
University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center
University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Dental School
University of Minnesota
University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of New Mexico School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania Health System
University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
University of Rochester Medical Center
University of Utah
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
USA Section of the International College of Dentists
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
WA State Association of Local Public Health Officials
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Wellness Institute of Greater Buffalo and Western New York
Wisconsin Association for Biomedical Research & Education
Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing Society
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine
Yale University
YMCA of the USA