January 12, 2007
The Honorable David Obey
Chair, Committee on Appropriations
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Obey:
As you work to complete the FY 2007 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill via a year-long joint resolution, the undersigned members of the Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC) respectfully urge you to provide an additional $155 million for Title VII health professions programs to reverse the 51.5% cut enacted in FY 2006. Title VII programs are the only federal programs designed to train providers in interdisciplinary settings to meet the needs of special and underserved populations, as well as increase minority representation in the health care workforce.
HPNECs membership is comprised of medical, nursing, dental, public health, allied health professional and academic associations that support these Title VII and VIII programs. As a result of the drastic cuts in FY 2006, funding was eliminated for Geriatric Training, Health Education and Training Centers, and the Quentin Burdick Rural Program for Interdisciplinary Training. The budget also significantly cut funding for primary care training and virtually eliminated funding for the Health Careers Opportunity Program and the Centers of Excellence, two of the diversity programs under Title VII.
We urge you to restore funding to the Title VII health professions programs to the FY 2005 level of $300 million, by providing an additional $155 million for Title VII in FY 2007. These vital programs cannot survive another year without this funding. With this amount, Congress can revive the Title VII programs and avoid the far more costly expense of losing these unique programs that help resolve systemic workforce shortages and deliver care to our nations most vulnerable communities.
Your support is greatly appreciated. We look forward to working with you to ensure the continuation of congressional support for these critical programs that are necessary to preserving the health and well-being of the American people.
Sincerely,
Academy of General Dentistry
Advocate Health Care
Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine
Ambulatory Pediatric Association
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Physician Assistants
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
American Association of Occupational Health Nurses
American College of Nurse Practitioners
American College of Osteopathic Internists
American College of Physicians
American College of Preventive Medicine
American Dental Association
American Geriatrics Society
American Medical Student Association
American Nephrology Nurses Association
American Nurses Association
American Occupational Therapy Association
American Osteopathic Association
American Pediatric Society
American Psychological Association
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
Association of Academic Health Centers
Association of American Medical Colleges
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
Association of Chiropractic Colleges
Association of Departments of Family Medicine
Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors
Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs
Association of Minority Health Professions Schools
Association of Professors of Medicine
Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine
Association of University Programs in Health Administration
Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine
Council of Accredited Master of Public Health Programs
Health Professions Network
Hispanic-Serving Health Professions Schools
Medicine-Pediatrics Program Directors Association
National Area Health Education Centers Organization
National Association for Geriatric Education
National Association of County and City Health Officials
National Association of Geriatric Education Centers
National Association of Medical Minority Educators, Inc.
National Council for Diversity in the Health Professions
National League for Nursing
National Rural Health Association
North American Primary Care Research Group
Oncology Nursing Society
Society for Adolescent Medicine
Society for General Internal Medicine
Society for Pediatric Research
Society for Public Health Education
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine