Policy Updates: Hill Happenings and Administration Activities
Hill Happenings
FY2026 Appropriations
Appropriators are shifting gears to Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026) budget discussions after passing the full-year continuing resolution (CR) for Fiscal Year 2025 (H.R.1968) on March 14. Republicans are attempting to unify their bicameral majority behind a FY2026 package to implement President Trump’s policy priorities through the budget reconciliation process, a legislative procedure that enables the majority party to bypass the Senate filibuster and the Senate’s 60-vote threshold to pass a spending bill via a simple majority. Democrats will have limited opportunities to block the reconciliation package if the Republican caucus is able to coalesce their majority behind a single, identical bill in both chambers.
NASTAD will continue to monitor the congressional appropriations process and advocate for the highest possible funding for HIV, hepatitis, and drug user health programs.
Senate Finance Committee Advances Nomination for CMS Administrator
On March 25, the Senate Finance Committee advanced the nomination of Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). A physician by training, Oz became well-known thanks to his daytime TV talk show, “The Dr. Oz Show,” and later grew in popularity with conservatives thanks to his promotion of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 during the pandemic. Oz ran an unsuccessful bid in 2022 to represent the state of Pennsylvania in the US Senate. Oz will now face a full vote on the Senate floor before his nomination can be confirmed. As CMS Administrator, Dr. Oz is expected to reduce federal spending on state Medicaid programs through the implementation of capitated grant structures and by restricting eligibility for beneficiaries.
Republican Senators Draft Bill to Reorganize CDC, NIH
On March 12, Senators Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced a bill (S.999) that would restructure several federal health agencies and limit their scope of work, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The bill would move eight CDC Centers to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including The National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention (NCHHSTP), which houses the Division of HIV Prevention (DHP) and Division of Viral Hepatitis (DVH). Additionally, the bill would revise CDC’s priorities to focus only on communicable diseases and require Congressional approval for extending public health emergencies.
Administration Activities
NASTAD Calls on Trump Administration to Reject HIV Prevention Funding Cuts
On March 18, media outlets reported that the Trump Administration was planning to restructure or completely eliminate federal HIV prevention programs, sparking concern from public health experts. HHS officials walked back the claims, suggesting that HIV prevention programming could be moved to other federal health agencies, such as the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and that plans were not yet final. On March 19, NASTAD and the Partnership to End HIV, STD, and Hepatitis urged the Administration to preserve the funding and functions of the CDC Division of HIV Prevention (DHP) in order to sustain the life-saving work of the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STIs, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP). Additionally, on March 20, NASTAD and the Federal AIDS Policy Partnership (FAPP) urged HHS to support DHP and reject any proposals to cut programs.
The proposed cuts also drew harsh backlash from a bipartisan group of lawmakers. On March 18, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-DC) sent a letter to the HHS Secretary condemning the proposed cuts and highlighting the critical role that prevention funding plays in ending the HIV epidemic, including supporting the work of state and local health departments and community-based organizations. Additionally, on March 20, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY-17) sent a letter to the HHS Secretary, highlighting the potential erosion of decades of progress to end the epidemic that could occur through programmatic and funding disruptions.
President Trump to Nominate Susan Monarez for CDC Director
On March 24, President Trump nominated Susan Monarez for Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Monarez, the current CDC Acting Director, will replace David Weldon as the Administration’s nominee after his nomination was rescinded hours before a Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) Committee nomination hearing on March 13. Prior to CDC, Monarez served as Deputy Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).
HHS to Recommend Termination of CDC Discretionary Advisory Committees
On March 21, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it is recommending eliminating discretionary advisory committees at CDC. CDC advisory committees establish a forum for external experts and stakeholders to provide input on the federal government’s health decision making. Nine advisory committees have been identified for elimination, including the CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STD Prevention and Treatment. CDC did not provide a timeline for the elimination of the committees.
Trump Administration Extends Opioid PHE
On March 18, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. renewed the public health emergency (PHE) declaration on the opioid crisis, which was set to expire on March 21. The PHE renewal will ensure that HHS can continue to coordinate expedited federal opioid response workplans for another 90 days. The opioid PHE declaration was first issued in 2017 under the first Trump Administration.
Resources
North Dakota Legislature Eliminates HIV as a Crime
On March 17, the North Dakota State Legislature passed HB 1217, a bill that repeals the North Dakota law that criminalized transmission of HIV. The legislation repeals section 12.1-20-17 of the North Dakota Century Code, which makes it a criminal offense to willfully transfer body fluid containing HIV. HIV criminalization laws are rooted in stigma and discriminate against people living with HIV (PLWH) by creating disproportionate penalties for a specific disease-state despite the lack of a benefit to public health. Click here to read NASTAD’s blog post on the 2024 HIV is Not a Crime Awareness Day.
GU O’Neill Institute: Sustaining and Improving HIV Prevention in the United States
“Therefore, we call on the Trump Administration to recommit to prevention as a central strategy of its Ending the HIV epidemic goal and continue the crucial work of the CDC Division of HIV Prevention working with collaborating agencies across the federal government and with its essential network of state and local partners.”
Drug Policy Alliance: From Crisis to Care: Addressing Addiction, Mental Health, and Homelessness through Health and Supportive Services
“Drug use, mental health, and homelessness are major issues that are linked in the public’s mind…As homelessness rises, these issues have become more visible… Our new report discusses five approaches that take care of people and help create healthier, safer communities.
KFF: Elimination of Federal Diversity Initiatives: Implications for Racial Health Equity
“This brief explains the potential impacts of the elimination of diversity and disparities-related initiatives under the Trump administration on racial health disparities. While this brief focuses on racial and ethnic disparities, these actions have implications for health equity across other dimensions, including gender and sexual orientation.”
Job Postings
HIV & Hepatitis Section Supervisor – Des Moines, IA
Deadline: March 30
The Bureau of HIV, STI, and Hepatitis is seeking a dedicated and dynamic leader as our HIV and Hepatitis Section Supervisor (Public Service Manager 1). The HIV and Hepatitis Section Supervisor may work remotely in the state of Iowa or a contiguous state.
Executive Director of Programs – New York City, NY
The New York City Health Department is seeking an Executive Director of Programs to join its Bureau of Hepatitis, HIV, and STIs (BHHS). The Executive Director of Programs will provide day-to-day oversight and operational support to BHHS’s HIV Care and Treatment Program, HIV Epidemiology Program, HIV Prevention Program, STI Program, and Viral Hepatitis Program, which comprise the majority of the bureau’s staff. The Executive Director of Programs will report to BHHS’s Assistant Commissioner and work alongside the Assistant Commissioner and BHHS leadership to ensure these Programs are supported to function optimally and collaboratively, and that BHHS is well-positioned to implement its strategic priorities and achieve its mission to improve the lives of New Yorkers by ending transmission, illness, stigma, and inequities related to viral hepatitis, HIV, and STIs. For more information or to apply for the position, visit the job posting on NYC Jobs, here.
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
Current, Former CDC Staff Warn Against Slashing Support to Local Public Health Departments
“The Trump administration has attempted to terminate hundreds of employees from the CDC alone, along with hundreds more workers at the National Institutes of Health and other federal agencies with a U.S. health and safety role. Many public health and science researchers are concerned about the cuts’ impacts on the nation’s ability to respond to threats — and about whether state and local public health departments will be able to keep communities healthy without the CDC’s partnership.
“Provisional data show that drug overdoses in the United States claimed more than 100,000 lives for a third consecutive year in 2023 — a more than 50 percent jump since 2019. By a substantial margin, the U.S. has the highest rate of overdose deaths in the world, followed by Puerto Rico — a U.S. territory… The U.S. can learn from other countries by tracking emerging trends and adopting comprehensive approaches to prevention and treatment that prioritize public health and harm reduction.
“The NIH has eliminated funding for dozens of HIV-related research grants, according to a US Department of Health and Human Services database that was updated last week, halting studies and threatening patient care across the country. Several researchers said the cuts put a stop to hopes of ending HIV in the US and around the world.”