This week, the full House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee marked up their fiscal year (FY) Labor, Health, and Human Services Appropriations bill.  As noted in last week’s NCSD Federal Policy Update, the bill flat-funded the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as compared to funding for FY2016.  This is the Center that houses the Division of STD Prevention (DSTDP), the Division of HIV Prevention (DHAP), and the Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH).

With the markup in full Committee, the bill’s Committee Report was released and it was confirmed that all the Divisions within NCHHSTP were flat-funded compared to FY2016 funding.  As you will remember from past NCSD Federal Policy Updates, the Senate’s LHHS FY17 Appropriations bill includes a $5 million cut to DSTDP.  The fact that the House of Representatives’ FY17 LHHS bill does not contain a cut to DSTDP puts the funding at a stronger position as the appropriations process moves forward.

Both chambers of Congress are now on recess until after Labor Day.  While some appropriations bills may be heard on the floors of either chamber when Congress returns in September, it is unlikely that LHHS will be one of them, due to its controversial nature.  It is likely that Congress will pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) until December and complete FY2017 funding bills after the election.