An amendment increasing federal funds by $300 million for the Strategic National Stockpile received U.S. House Appropriations Committee approval on Wednesday as part of an almost $190 billion fiscal year 2020 spending bill covering the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education, among other government agencies.
The amendment, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), would pump the additional funding into the overall appropriations bill to ramp up the nation’s stockpile of critical medical supplies, vaccines, antibiotics and remedies for chemical exposure.
The amendment would pull the funds from the unobligated balances in the Children’s Health Insurance Program to cover the increase, according to Rep. Harris.
“Thanks @AppropsDems & @HouseAppropsGOP for accepting @RepAndyHarrisMD amendment to increase funding for the #StrategicNationalStockpile by $300 million. The Committee recognizes the importance of robust funding for America’s #preparedness & #response @BARDA @PHEgov #appropriations,” the Alliance for Biosecurity tweeted on May 9.
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) said the same day that the larger House spending bill highlights the need to strengthen the nation’s health responses and research.
“Once again rejecting proposed cuts to vital domestic and global health programs and research, House appropriators Wednesday approved funding for fiscal year 2020 that demonstrates commitment to tackling critical health challenges and threats at home and abroad,” the society said.
Specifically, House appropriators on May 8 voted 30-23 to pass the FY 2020 funding for programs under Labor, HHS, Education, and related agencies totaling $189.9 billion in base discretionary funding, an increase of nearly $12 billion over the 2019-enacted level and $48 billion over President Donald Trump’s FY 2020 budget request.
“We are turning the corner after years of insufficient funding levels that effectively sabotaged our ability to meet the country’s most pressing education, health care and workforce needs,” said U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee. “Instead, we’re providing a robust increase for important priorities that create jobs and grow the economy, improve health security, and build a stronger, safer future for all Americans.”
In the committee report explaining the accompanying spending bill for the Departments of Labor, HHS, Education and related agencies, members on the House Appropriations Committee said they recognized the reorganization of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.
“The Committee expects that CDC will continue its significant role in providing scientific expertise in decision-making related to procurement of countermeasures and maintaining strong relationships with state and local public health departments to facilitate efficient deployment of countermeasures in public health emergencies,” according to the report.
The House committee also strongly urged HHS to use discretion in permitting the forward deployment of SNS medication in reasonable quantities “in or near high-threat, high-density urban jurisdictions that have demonstrated an ability to stand up Points of Dispensing faster than SNS medications can be delivered to jurisdictions.”
Likewise, the House Appropriations Committee said it was concerned about the availability of medical countermeasures for individuals who are immunocompromised with common conditions like eczema, HIV and diabetes.
“Some traditional vaccines contain a live virus that can be harmful or even fatal for patients with these conditions,” according to the committee report. “Therefore, the Committee encourages HHS to evaluate its stockpile of medical countermeasures to ensure appropriate supplies are available to protect these vulnerable populations.”
This week’s bill passage charts a more optimistic course than the president’s FY 2020 budget request, said U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), chairwoman of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
The bill, DeLauro said, “is another step towards addressing the issues facing working people and the middle class” and also provides “robust support for groundbreaking medical research, our public health and our food safety infrastructure.”
At the same time, IDSA pointed out that the overall proposed spending bill includes ongoing support for infectious diseases and HIV public health efforts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and would support student loan repayment to medical professionals — that’s once the U.S. Senate first passes the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness and Innovation Act, which would give the CDC the authority to offer loan repayment.
“Importantly, and in keeping with concerns highlighted by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the bill includes increased funding to combat antimicrobial resistance, including $173 million for the agency’s Antibiotic Resistance Initiative that will help states and local communities protect public health by tracking disease-resistant pathogens and preventing their spread,” according to the society.
Additionally, House appropriators allotted $32.5 million in increased resources for the Advanced Molecular Detection program, which IDSA said would more rapidly determine if emerging diseases are resistant to first-line treatments.
And the proposed measure would provide $567 million for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to hasten development of new antibiotics that would fight resistant pathogens.
“With flat funding for antimicrobial resistance programs at the NIH [National Institutes of Health], however, the House bill does not adequately support the work needed to confront a growing crisis, and IDSA will continue to urge a deeper investment,” according to the society.
Recognizing the need for continued U.S. leadership against infectious diseases worldwide, the bill would provide $513 million for the CDC Center for Global Health and would raise funding to $123.4 million for Global Health Security efforts.
However, IDSA said that additional resources will be necessary to build international capacities to detect, prevent and respond to infectious diseases where they originate and to contain them.
“Confronting public health challenges at home and abroad through dedicated programs and research remains essential to our country’s strength and growth,” the group said.