This week, the House and Senate conferees reached a final agreement on the FY’19 Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) appropriations bill. The bill contains $157.3 million for STDs within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – level funding from FY 2017.

Title X family planning funding and HIV/AIDS programs were all level funded and a new innovation fund for NCHHSTP was funded only at $5 million, down from $20 million allocated previously by the House. NIH received a $2 billion increase.

The conference agreement also contains policy rider language, an additional provision added to the bill, that supports STD screening and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS and requires Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to submit a report to Congress outlining the STD screening rates for people living with HIV/AIDS. Other language encourages the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) to collaborate with CDC on STD screening and treatment and to do special initiatives related to pregnant women and young adults. These are major wins for the STD public health community.

The full House and Senate will vote on the legislation the week of September 24, and the President is expected to sign the bill. If everything goes as planned, this will be the first time in 22 years that the LHHS bill will be signed into law prior to the start of the fiscal year on October 1st.

A more detailed analysis and funding summary chart will be issued to NCSD members next week.