Policy Updates: Hill Happenings and Administration Activities
Editor’s Note: The Policy Newsletter will be on pause through the holidays. We will resume our newsletter on January 13, 2025.
Hill Happenings
FY2025 Appropriations
Lawmakers are still working on legislation to advance a stopgap funding measure and avoid a government shutdown on December 20. On September 26, Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) (H.R.9747) that temporarily extended Fiscal Year 2024 (FY2024) funding levels through December 20 to buy appropriators more time to advance a Fiscal Year 2025 (FY2025) spending package. The new CR is expected to last through March 2025, complicating Republicans’ plans to rapidly implement President-elect Trump’s agenda.
NASTAD will continue to monitor the congressional appropriations process and advocate for the highest possible funding for HIV, hepatitis, and drug user health programs.
House Republicans Announce New Appropriations Committee Members
On December 13, House Appropriations Committee (HAC) Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK-04) announced four new HAC members for the 119th Congress, which starts on January 3, 2025. The Republican Steering Committee selected five new appropriators:
- Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO-04)
- Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY-01)
- Rep. Dale Strong (R-AL-05)
- Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT-02)
- Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV-02)
Administration Activities
SAMHSA and CDC Partner to Expand HIV and Viral Hepatitis Testing
On December 9, the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and leader of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Dear Colleague Letter urging public health communities to increase the number of people with substance use disorder (SUD) who are tested and treated for HIV and viral hepatitis. To increase the identification and treatment of all people with HIV and viral hepatitis, CDC recommends that all adults receive HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing at least once in their lifetime. Additionally, routine periodic testing should be completed for adults that are part of populations with greater risk for infection, including people who inject drugs or exchange sex for drugs or money.
CDC Proposes Updates to Recommendations for HIV Screening in Clinical Settings
On December 3, CDC published a notice requesting comment on the draft Recommendations for HIV Screening in Clinical Settings, which updates portions of the 2006 Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women in Health-Care Settings. These recommendations modify the ages for HIV screening including eliminating an upper age limit, encourage providers to use clinical decision support tools such as automated HIV test laboratory orders to implement HIV screening, provide considerations for healthcare populations on which to conduct HIV screening, recommend anyone who requests a test should be tested, and emphasize the use of a general consent process as used for other routine tests. Comments are due by January 2, 2025.
Resources
AIDSWatch 2025 Update: New Dates Announced
Updated Date: March 31 – April 2, 2025
“Over the past few days, Congress released its schedule for 2025 detailing when both the House and Senate would be in session. In an effort to ensure that AIDSWatch participants are able to meet with their elected representatives in Congress, the AIDSWatch planning partners have made the decision to shift the dates of AIDSWatch 2025 from Sunday, March 16 - Tuesday, March 18th, when Congress will not be in session, to Monday, March 31 - Wednesday, April 2nd, when Congress will be in session. We believe that this date change will allow AIDSWatch 2025 to be as impactful as possible and to maximize the ability of the HIV advocacy community to have their voices heard in the halls of Congress. If you have any questions about this date change and the ways in which it might impact your ability to participate in AIDSWatch 2025, please reach out to AIDSWatch@aidsunited.org and AIDS United staff will be happy to assist you.”
Job Postings
Director of the Ryan White Office of Support—Harris County, TX
The Director serves as the liaison between the County Judge and the Houston EMA Ryan White Planning Council (RWPC), providing support to the Council and direct supervision to its staff as they fulfill their legislatively mandated responsibilities within the Ryan White Part A Program. The Director also works closely with Harris County Public Health/Ryan White Grant Administration (the Grant Administrator), other elected and appointed officials, service providers, community leaders, Persons Living with HIV (PLWH), and others within the six-county service area. Apply by January 17, 2025.
Communicable Disease Epidemiologist – Cheyenne, Wyoming
This position will serve as the Communicable Disease AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) Coordinator, Wyoming TB Controller, and Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) for the Communicable Disease (CD) Treatment Program. Assist in outbreak response to ensure the safety of Wyoming residents; by interviewing cases for exposure information, updating news outlets on the progress of outbreak control, analyzing exposure data utilizing epidemiological and statistical methods.
News Bulletin
Potential Health Policy Administrative Actions in the Second Trump Administration
“President-elect Trump could exercise executive branch authority through administrative action to quickly move forward on some policy changes without congressional action. This is a quick guide to potential health policy administrative actions under the incoming Trump administration based on campaign positions and statements by President-elect Trump, President Trump’s record during his first administration, and expected actions that would reverse or modify regulations or guidance issued by the Biden administration. Click the + to expand for details of each potential action.
Kennedy to meet with Republicans on key committees
“Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead HHS, will meet with several Republican members of key Senate committees this week...Though Republicans will have an edge in the Senate during confirmation, it will take only four defectors to sink Kennedy’s nomination if Democrats oppose him in unison. Several Republicans are expected to ask Kennedy about his views on vaccines. Kennedy’s debunked views questioning the safety of a number of vaccines have alarmed public health experts who fear his rhetoric could lead to deaths from preventable diseases.”
Instead of sodas, these vending machines offer needles and Narcan to fight overdoses
“Recently, an unusual vending machine appeared on the streets of North Adams. It dispenses clean syringes, pipes for smoking crack or methamphetamine, Narcan to reverse opioid overdoses, condoms and more. The vending machine, decorated with a lattice of colorful triangles, sits just outside the entrance to Berkshire Harm Reduction, a clinic where staff members hand out the same items during weekday business hours. The vending machine has many items — like Narcan and condoms — that are available for free to anyone passing by.”