> Download as a PDF May 16, 2008 Dear Elected Official: The undersigned education, training, disability, public health, human services, medical research, child welfare organizations and labor unions representing the full range of stakeholders in the programs of the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services and Labor urge you to ensure that the final FY 2009 302b allocations for the House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Subcommittees reflects at least a $15 billion increase above the FY 2008 level for these critically important programs. This amount would: (1) restore cuts of core program funding over the last four years, (2) more appropriately account for four years of inflation and population growth to maintain service levels and purchasing power; and (3) return these programs to the FY 2005 level, a high water mark for many. The programs and services administered by the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, and Labor serve a broad range of constituencies and needs. However, they all share a common, fundamental goal of strengthening this nation by investing in and improving the quality of life of its people, especially the most vulnerable. Unfortunately, the resources they need have been cut, eroded by inflation or stretched thin by swelling numbers of those in need. While Congress has worked to restore some of the cuts, many programs still remain far below their FY 2005 level, and others lost all funding. The Presidents FY 2009 budget request continues or deepens cuts for most of the programs in the Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations bill. America cannot sustain its global scientific and economic leadership, national security and citizens health and well-being without increasing these investments. While our organizations represent a wide array of domestic priorities, we are united in our effort to increase discretionary funding for health, education, labor enforcement, job training and social services programs by at least $15 billion as the budget process moves forward. This is essential to sustain the prosperity and standards of living of our nation. To respond to this letter, please contact Dr. Marcia Mabee, Executive Director, Coalition for Health Funding: 703-709-3001, or Dr. Edward Kealy, Executive Director, Committee for Education Funding: 202-383-0083. Respectfully, Academic Pediatric Association Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses Academy of Radiology Research Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research Afterschool Alliance AIDS Action AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth & Families AIDS Project Los Angeles AIDS Resources of Rural Texas AIDS Services of Austin Aids Survival Project Alliance for Aging Research Alliance for Biosecurity Alliance for Excellent Education Alliance for Microbicide Development Alpha-1 Association Alpha-1 Foundation Alzheimer's Association American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing American Academy of Anesthesiologists Assistants American Academy of Emergency Medicine American Academy of Family Physicians American Academy of Neurology Professional Association American Academy of Nurse Practitioners American Academy of Nursing American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry American Academy of Pediatrics American Academy of Physician Assistants American Anthropological Association American Association for Cancer Research American Association for Dental Research American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry American Association for Health Education 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 Anatomists American Association of Classified School Employees American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education 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 Medicine American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) American Association of Critical-Care Nurses American Association of Neurological Surgeons American Association of Nurse Anesthetists American Association of People with Disabilities American Association of Physicists in Medicine American Association of Public Health Dentistry American Association of School Administrators American Association of State Colleges and Universities American Association on Health and Disability American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network American College Health Association American College of Cardiology American College of Clinical Pharmacy American College of Medical Genetics American College of Nurse Practitioners American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists American College of Preventive Medicine American College of Surgeons American Council on Education (ACE) American Dental Association American Dental Education Association American Diabetes Association American Educational Research Association American Federation for Medical Research American Federation of School Administrators (AFSA) American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO American Foundation for the Blind American Gastroenterological Association American Geriatrics Society American Heart Association American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering American Library Association American Lung Association American Music Therapy Association American Nephrology Nurses' Association American Nurses Association American Occupational Therapy Association American Optometric Association American Organization of Nurse Executives American Osteopathic Association American Pain Foundation American Pediatric Society American Podiatric Medical Association American Psychiatric Association American Psychological Association American Public Health Association American Public Health Association Student Assembly American School Health Association American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science American Society for Microbiology American Society for Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics American Society for Reproductive Medicine American Society for Therapeutic Radiology & Oncology American Society of Addiction Medicine American Society of Clinical Oncology American Society of Hematology American Society of Human Genetics American Society of Nephrology American Society of Pediatric Nephrology American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses American Society of Plastic Surgical Nurses American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene American Sociological Association American Speech-Language-Hearing Association American Statistical Association American Telemedicine Association American Thoracic Society American Trauma Society America's Blood Centers Amputee Coalition of America AO North America Area Health Education Center of Southwest Oregon Area Health Education Center Program at Florida State University Area Health Education Centers Arkansas Area Health Education Center Network Arkansas Commission on Child Abuse, Rape and Domestic Violence Arkansas Health Care Access Foundation, Inc. Arkansas Respiratory Health Association Arthritis Foundation Ashland Community Health Center Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum Association for Career and Technical Education Association for Clinical Research Training Association for Patient-Oriented Research Association for Prevention Teaching and Research Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) Association for Psychological Science Association for Research in Otolaryngology Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Association of Academic Health Centers Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries Association of American Cancer Institutes Association of American Medical Colleges Association of Anatomy, Cell Biology & Neurobiology Chairpersons Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs (ATAP) Association of Chairs of Departments of Physiology Association of Departments of Family Medicine Association of Educational Service Agencies Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors Association of Independent Research Institutes Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs Association of Minority Health Professions Schools, Inc. Association of Operating Room Nurses Association of Organ Procurement Organizations Association of Public Health Laboratories Association of Rehabilitation Nurses Association of School Business Officials International Association of Schools of Public Health Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Association of University Centers on Disabilities Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses Batten Disease Support and Research Association Baylor College of Medicine Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research Foundation Berkshire Area Health Education Center Biophysical Society Blood Research Institute Boys Town National Research Hospital Brain Injury Association of America Brazos Area Health Education Center Break the Cycle Brown University Burnett School of Biomedical Science C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition California Conference of Local Health Officers California Hepatitis C Task Force Camden Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Campaign for Medical Research Campaign for Public Health Centennial Area Health Education Center Center for Community Health Development Center for Inquiry Center for Science in the Public Interest Central Florida Area Health Education Center Champlain Valley (VT) Area Health Education Center Charles Drew University Chicago Public Schools Child Welfare League of America Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Children's Dental Health Project Children's Memorial Hospital Children's Memorial Research Center CHLA / USC Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation Clinical Research Forum Clinical Social Work Association Coalition for American Trauma Care Coalition for Health Funding Coalition for Health Services Research Coalition for Imaging and Bioengineering Research Coalition for the Life Sciences Coalition of Higher Education Assistance Organizations (COHEAO) Coastal Area Health Education Center Colorado Area Health Education Center Columbia University Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service (COA) Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America Community Health Partnership Community Health Partnership, Santa Clara, CA Community-Campus Partnerships for Health Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Research Education and Support (CARES) Foundation Congress of Neurological Surgeons Consortium for School Networking Consortium of Social Science Associations Conway Interfaith Clinic Cooley's Anemia Foundation COPD Foundation Council for Exceptional Children Council for Opportunity in Education Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Council of the Great City Schools Critical Illness and Trauma Foundation, Inc. Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Desert AIDS Project Digestive Disease National Coalition DLD, the Division for Learning Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children Dystonia Advocacy Coalition Dystonia Medical Research Foundation Easter Seals Eastern Ohio Area Health Education Center Emergency Medicine Network Emergency Nurses Association Epilepsy Foundation Erie Niagara Area Health Education Center Eta Sigma Gamma everyminute.org FAIR Foundation Families USA Global Health Initiative FED ED Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology First Focus Florida Keys Area Health Education Center Fox Chase Cancer Center Friends of AHRQ Friends of Cancer Research Friends of NCHS Friends of the National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research Genetics Society of America Genetics Society of America GLSEN/Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network Grace Clinic GS Area Health Education Center Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Center, Inc. Hawaii Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center Health Care Council of Orange County California Health Care Excel Heart Rhythm Society Hepatitis B Foundation Hepatitis Foundation International Higher Education Consortium for Special Education HopeLab Hydrocephalus Association Illinois Area Health Education Centers Program Indiana Rural Health Association Indiana University Infectious Diseases Society of America Institute for Healthcare Quality Research and Education Intercultural Cancer Council Caucus Intermountain Injury Control Research Center International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders International Myeloma Foundation International Society for Technology in Education Intracranial Hypertension Research Foundation Jeffrey Modell Foundation Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Kids That Care Pediatric & Cancer Fund Knowledge Alliance LA Gay & Lesbian Center Lance Armstrong Foundation LDA, The Learning Disabilities Association of America Legacy Community Health Services -Houston LGBT Cancer Project, Inc. Lifelong AIDS Alliance Lowcountry Area Health Education Center Lupus Research Institute Magnet Schools of America, Inc. Malecare Prostate Cancer Support March of Dimes Foundation Marshfield Clinic Massachusetts Area Health Education Center/University of Massachusetts Medical School Medical Library Association Meharry Medical College Men's Health Network Mental Health America Metropolitan Indianapolis Central Indiana Area Health Education Center MI Society for Medical Research Midwestern University Milwaukee Area Health Education Center Mississippi Area Health Education Center Missouri Area Health Education Centers Morehouse School of Medicine Mountain area Health Education Center National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research National Alliance for Hispanic Health National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors National Alliance on Mental Illness National Alliance to End Homelessness National Alliance to End Sexual Violence National Alopecia Areata Foundation National Area Health Education Centers Organization National Association for Biomedical Research National Association for Children of Alcoholics National Association for Children's Behavioral Health National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) National Association of Children's Hospitals National Association of Chronic Disease Directors National Association of Community Health Centers National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities National Association of County & City Health Officials National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS) National Association of Hepatitis Task Forces National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities National Association of Local Boards of Health National Association of Private Special Education Centers 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 Abuse Directors (NASADAD) National Association of State Directors of Special Education National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) National Association of State Head Injury Administrators National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors National Black Nurses Association National Caucus of Basic Biomedical Science Chairs National Cervical Cancer Coalition National Coalition for Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity National Coalition for the Homeless National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer/Survivor Organizations National Coalition on Deaf-Blindness National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP) National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare National Council for Diversity in the Health Professions National Council of State Boards of Nursing National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) National Down Syndrome Congress National Down Syndrome Society National Eczema Association National Health Council National Hemophilia Foundation National HEP/CAMP Association National History Day (NHD) National Kidney Foundation National League for Nursing National Marfan Foundation National Multiple Sclerosis Society National Network to End Domestic Violence National Organization for Rare Disorders National Ovarian Cancer Coalition National Primate Research Centers National Psoriasis Foundation National Respite Coalition National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition National Rural Education Association National Rural Health Association National School Boards Association National Sleep Foundation National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association National Spasmodic Torticollis Association National Student Nurses' Association, Inc. NEO Area Health Education Center NephCure Foundation New Mexico Area Health Education Center New York State Prostate Cancer Coalition New York-Presbyterian Hospital, NY, NY NJ Association for Biomedical Research North American Primary Care Research Group North Carolina Area Health Education Centers Program North Coast Clinics Network North Country Health Consortium Northeast Florida Area Health Education Center Northeast Kentucky Area Health Education Center Northeast Oregon Area Health Education Center Northeastern WI Area Health Education Center Northern Nebraska Area Health Education Center Northwest Indiana Area Health Education Center Northwest Wisconsin Area Health Education Center Northwestern CT Area Health Education Center Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Ohio Statewide Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program Oncology Nursing Society Oregon Area Health Education Centers Oregon Health & Science University Oregon Pacific Area Health Education Center OutWithCancer Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Cancer Network Parkinson's Action Network Penobscot Community Health Care Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force Planned Parenthood Federation of America Pocahontas Co. Health Department Population Association of America/Association of Population Centers Prevent Blindness America Project Inform Public Health Foundation Pulmonary Hypertension Association Purnell Technology Center Rappahannock Area Health Education Center, VA Regional Center for Border Health, Inc. Renal Physicians Association Research!America Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago RI Area Health Education Center Network Rural Health Association of Oklahoma Rural Health Projects, Inc./NW Area Health Education Center Rural Health Projects/Inc. Saint Louis University Area Health Education Program San Luis Valley Area Health Education Center Sana Health Group Sandusky Ohio Area Health Education Center (AHEC) School Social Work Association of America Scleroderma Foundation Service Employees International Union SHORE Area Health Education Center Sister's on a Mission Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation Society For Adolescent Medicine Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research 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 Women's Health Research Society of General Internal Medicine Society of Gynecologic Oncologists Society of Hospital Medicine Society of Teachers of Family Medicine South Carolina Area Health Education Centers South Central KY Area Health Education Center South Central Texas Area Health Education Center Southeast Kentucky Area Health Education Center Southeast Louisiana Area Health Education Center Southeastern Colorado Area Health Education Center Southern Minnesota Area Health Education Center Southern New Hampshire Area Health Education Center Southern R.I. Area Health Education Center Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center Southwestern Area Health Education Center Connecticut Southwestern Pennsylvania AIDS Planning Coalition Spina Bifida Association ST/Dystonia, Inc State and Territorial Injury Prevention Directors Association Strategic Health Policy International Suicide Prevention Action Network USA Summit Portage Area Health Education Center Suwannee River Area Health Education Center Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children Tennessee Perinatal Association Texas A&M University Texas Society for Biomedical Research The AIDS Institute The American Physiological Society The Arc of the United States The CFIDS Association of America The College Board The Endocrine Society The Helen Keller National Center The Kidney Cancer Association The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society The National Coalition for Literacy The National EMS Information System Technical Assistance Center The Protein Society The Reading Recovery Council of North America The University of Toledo Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program Three Rivers Area Health Education Center Trauma Managers Association of California Trisomy 18 Foundation Trust for America's Health UCLA/RAND Center for Adolescent Health Promotion, Los Angeles, CA UMDNJ - School of Public Health UNC Thurston Arthritis Research Center United Cerebral Palsy United Spinal Association UnitedHealth Group University of Alabama at Birmingham University of Central Florida University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute University of Maryland School of Medicine/Maryland Area Health Education Center Program University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of South Florida Area Health Education Center Program University of Vermont Office of Primary Care and Area Health Education Center Program US Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association Wayne State University School of Medicine Well Spouse Association West Central Indiana Area Health Education Center West Kentucky Area Health Education Center West Virginia Area Health Education Centers West Virginia University Western Arizona Area Health Education Center Western Maryland Area Health Education Center Western WA Area Health Education Center Wirt County Health Services Association, Inc. Wisconsin Association for Biomedical Research & Education WomenHeart, The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease Yale University School of Nursing YMCA of the USA
