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ACTION ALERT ON NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION FUNDING

 

We need your help!

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Background

 

On July 27, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY24 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) appropriations bill, recommending $681,933,000, level funding for the National Immunization Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — known as the “Section 317” program. The House Appropriations Committee has not yet approved its version of the FY24 Labor-HHS bill. The 317 Coalition will be advocating for the inclusion of the highest funding level for Section 317 in conference negotiations for the final bill.

Action Needed

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  • Call or email your Members of Congress and ask them to support the highest level of funding for the Section 317 Immunization Program in the FY24 Labor-HHS appropriations bill.

 

  • Give an example of why additional funding is needed in your state for vaccine program operations and infrastructure, and vaccine purchase. Sample talking points are included below.

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Contacting a Congressional Office

 

  • The US Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 can connect you with your Senator/representative. It is best to call the Washington office, not the local district office. To look up your senators/ representatives, go online to www.senate.gov/ www.house.gov and search by state. From there, you can directly call or email your Senator/ Representative. To email your Member of Congress, click “contact,” and you will be taken to their email form. As you fill out these forms, be sure to use the talking points below in the body of your email.      

 

  • When calling your Senator/ Representative, ask to speak with the staff person who handles the Health and Human Services Appropriations for the office (specifically the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)). 

 

  • When you reach the staffer, very briefly identify your professional affiliation and work related to immunization.

 

Talking Points/Content for Email

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  • I am contacting you to ask that the Senator/Representative support the highest funding level for the 317 Immunization Program in the FY24 Labor-HHS appropriations bill.

 

  • Vaccines are one of the greatest success stories in public health and are among the most cost-effective ways to prevent disease. Childhood immunizations over the past twenty years have prevented 381 million illnesses and 855,000 deaths and saved nearly $1.65 trillion in societal costs.

 

  • Unfortunately, millions of children and adults have missed routine vaccinations due to the pandemic, putting years of success in jeopardy. Kindergarten vaccination coverage has dropped a total of two percentage points since the start of the pandemic – from 95% reported in the 2019-20 school year to 93% in the 2021-22 school year. This means there are more than 275,000 kindergartners who may not be completely protected against common, and sometimes very serious, vaccine-preventable diseases.

 

  • An effective vaccine campaign is critical to controlling COVID-19, requiring the establishment and maintenance of a robust public health immunization infrastructure

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  • Control of COVID-19 will likely include confronting new variants and the need for more boosters or annual COVID-19 vaccinations, like annual flu vaccination.

 

  • Investment in FY24 is needed to help sustain the improvements made through the emergency supplemental bills to ensure both routine immunizations are restored, and future preparedness is assured.

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