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(posted June 15, 2007)
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On June 19, the Senate Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee will be setting the hepatitis prevention funding for FY2008. The Congressman writing the bill is Subcommittee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA). The FY2008 Senate Labor, HHS and Education Appropriation legislation represents an opportunity for Congress to provide critical funding to address the hepatitis C epidemic facing our nation. It is important that this number be as high as possible, as it is difficult to increase the number in the full Appropriations Committee or on either the House or Senate floor. Please contact your Senators and ask them to support a $10.8 million increase for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Viral Hepatitis (DVH).
DVH currently receives $17.6 million for viral hepatitis prevention and control; approximately $4 million is used to support the state Hepatitis C Coordinator Program. Increased funding to DVH would support critical hepatitis prevention services, such as hepatitis C counseling, testing and referral and hepatitis A and B vaccine. The DVH budget has been cut or flat funded over the last four years, and DVH has been unable to provide even a minimal amount of funding for these critical prevention services. The House Subcommittee provided no additional funding for DVH.
Please continue to help us fight for increased hepatitis funding by contacting your Senators and ask them to talk with Chairman Harking regarding the tremendous need for increased hepatitis funding. Please take a few minutes to make these important phone calls!
How You Can Help:
Before June 18, call your Senators in their Washington, DC offices. Ask to speak to the staff person who handles hepatitis and healthcare issues. Whether you speak to this person live or leave a message, tell them:
“My name is _________ and I’m a constituent of Senator ________. I am calling to urge him/her to call Labor, HHS and Education Chairman Harkin in support of increased funding for the CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis. Hepatitis C virus affects over 4 million Americans. Congress has cut or flat funded DVH four years in a row. Money for prevention of hepatitis C is critical to increase counseling, testing and referral to begin to get a handle on this potentially deadly disease. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C therefore prevention is critical.”
Thanks for taking the time to make these important phone calls!
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