Speak For Health

Letters

• Organization letter to House and Senate leaders supporting the inclusion of the Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act in infrastructure and jobs legislation currently being developed in Congress (June 22)
• Letter to House Labor-HHS-Education appropriations subcommittee leaders signed by a bipartisan group of 76 representatives in support of $10 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in FY 2022 
• Friends of HRSA FY 2022 request letter to House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee leaders (March 8)
• CDC Coalition FY 2022 request letter to House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee leaders (March 1)
• Organization letter urging a significant, long-term investment in public health infrastructure in future legislation to speed the response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Feb. 12)

Fact sheets

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Resources and Services Administration 
• Public Health Infrastructure Saves Lives Act
• CDC funding state fact sheets
• HRSA funding state fact sheets

Support for the Affordable Care Act, improvements and impacts of repeal

Amicus brief

• Public health amicus brief to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division in support of the ACA’s requirement that insurers and health plans provide preventive health services and screening and immunization without cost sharing (Feb. 7)

• APHA, American Academy of Nursing and public health deans and scholars amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of upholding and maintaining the Affordable Care Act regardless of the court's decision on the constitutionality of the ACA's individual mandate (May 13)

Fact sheets and other supporting documents

• Read the APHA fact sheet on why we still need the Affordable Care Act (PDF)
• Read the APHA Prevention and Public Health Fund fact sheet (PDF)
• Kaiser Family Foundation's summary of the Affordable Care Act
• Center of Budget and Policy Priorities state by state impacts report
• Trust for America's Health state fact sheets on the Prevention and Public Health Fund
•  List of organizations supporting the fund (PDF)

Letters and statements

• APHA statement applauding the Supreme Court decision preserving the Affordable Care Act (June 17)
• Organization letter supporting the Public Health Funding Prevents Pandemics Act (March 3) 
  
  

• Climate, Health and Equity: Recommendations for HHS
• Organization letter in support of $50 million for CDC's Climate and Health Program in FY 2022 (March 22)
• 2021 health organization declaration on climate change and health (PDF)
• Health and medical organization climate and health recommendations to the Biden administration
• APHA supports work to drive action on climate change and health
• APHA and other organizations support state authority to set cleaner car standards to protect public health
• Testimony before the House Budget Committee hearing: The Costs of Climate Change: From Coasts to Heartland, Health to Security (PDF)
• U.S. Call to Action on Climate, Health, and Equity: A Policy Action Agenda
• Read the APHA climate change fact sheets
• Check out APHA's climate and health infographic
• APHA policy statement: Public Health Opportunities to Address the Health Effects of Climate Change (20157)
• Visit APHA's climate change page

Letters

• Letter from 288 medical, public health, and research organizations in support of FY 2023 funding of $35 million for CDC and $25 million for NIH to conduct public health research into firearm morbidity and mortality prevention (April 28)
• APHA letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of Congressional action on gun violence prevention legislation (March 22)
• Organization letter to Congress in support of legislation to strengthen background checks for firearm purchases (March 10)
• APHA letter to the House of Representatives in support of H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 (March 8)

Other resources

• Gun violence prevention research crime reduction fact sheet
• Gun violence prevention research funding fact sheet
• Firearm-Related Injury and Death in the United States: A Call to Action From the Nation's Leading Physician and Public Health Professional Organizations
• APHA Gun Violence Prevention fact sheet (PDF)

Letters

• APHA letter to Congress urging support for H.R. 4, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021, legislation that would protect against voter discrimination and suppression
• Organization letter to appropriations leaders in support of $153 million in funding for CDC's Social Determinants of Health Program in fiscal year 2022
• Organization letter to HHS and CDC leaders urging them to ensure funding for COVID-19 public health response activities provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (P.L.117-2) prioritizes the communities of color and tribal communities that are disproportionately affected and underserved
• Letter from APHA to the House of Representatives in support of H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021

Other resources

• Racial Equity fact sheet (PDF)
• Advancing Racial Equity webinar series
• Racism declarations map
• Racism and Health webinar series

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Have questions or need information on this campaign? Contact APHA's Government Relations Staff at 202-777-2513 or via email.

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• A Blueprint for the 2021 Administration and Congress
• Using social media for advocacy 
• Becoming Better Messengers: The Public Health Advantage 
• Healthy Outlook: Public health resources for systems transformation
• APHA fact sheets 
• It Saves Lives. It Can Save Money. So Why Aren't We Spending More on Public Health?
• Public Health Advocacy: the Legal Basics (ChangeLab Solutions) 
• Advocacy Curriculum for Public Health Courses