Last week, the House Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee approved its version of the FY24 Labor Health and Human Services and Education (LHHS) Appropriations bill, making deep cuts to federal research and public health programs.

The LHHS is one of the largest and often most controversial appropriations bills considered by Congress. Overall, the subcommittee bill would cut total LHHS program funding by over $60.3 billion (-29%), eliminates funding for 61 programs, and proposes significant cuts to 54 other programs.

The subcommittee cut NIH funding by $2.8 billion, including:
 

• $7.1 billion for the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a cut of $216 million below the enacted level.
• $5.1 billion for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a cut of $1.5 billion below the enacted level.

The bill also includes $500 million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), a cut of $1 billion below the enacted level.

Funding for several programs within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would be reduced or eliminated. The bill includes a total of $7.6 billion for the CDC, a cut of $1.6 billion below the enacted level:
 

• The bill eliminates funding for Firearm Injury and Mortality Prevention Research, a cut of $12.5 million below the enacted level.
• The bill eliminates funding for Tobacco Prevention and Control, a cut of $247 million below the enacted level.
• The bill includes $371 million for Global Health, a cut of $322 million below the enacted level.
• The bill eliminates funding for the Climate and Health program, a cut of $10 million below the enacted level.

The bill was approved by the Republican-lead subcommittee via voice-vote.

It is unclear when the subcommittee proposal will be considered by the full House Appropriations Committee or proceed to the House floor. Further, the Senate has yet to consider its version of the bill. The Senate, which is controlled by the Democrats, is unlikely to consider a bill with such significant cuts to the research and public health programs. 



The ATS will continue to urge Congress and the Administration to support increased funding for key federal research and public health programs.