The following federal programs are in grave danger of being eliminated or
underfunded:

*Title VII health professions programs
*Title VIII nursing programs
*National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities, NIH
*Health Careers Opportunities Program (HCOP)
*Centers for Excellence
*Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH)
*National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
*Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Office of Minority Health (OMH) in the
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

In anticipation of next week’s mark up of the FY 2007 Appropriations for
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, NMA
President Dr. Sandra Gadson has written to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, urging them to fully fund the above programs. 

Please join Dr Gadson in this vital effort by contacting your United Satates
Senators to emphasize the importance of the highest possible funding for
these critical programs! 

We recommend phone calls or emails, since time is of the essence. Contact
information is available here:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?OrderBy=
state&Sort=ASC

FYI -
Unites States Senate Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related
Agencies

The members are as follows:

Senator Arlen Specter (Chairman) (PA)
Senator Thad Cochran (MS)
Senator Judd Gregg (NH)
Senator Larry Craig (ID)
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)
Senator Ted Stevens (AK)
Senator Mike DeWine (OH)
Senator Richard Shelby (AL)
Senator Tom Harkin (Ranking Member) (IA)
Senator Daniel Inouye (HI)
Senator Harry Reid (NV)
Senator Herb Kohl (WI)
Senator Patty Murray (WA)
Senator Mary Landrieu (LA)
Senator Richard Durbin (IL).

Healthcare Information Technology Legislation

On June 16, 2006, the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives approved the Health Information Technology Promotion Act of 2006, H.R. 4157. The bill’s sponsor, and subcommittee chair, Rep Nancy Johnson, (R-CT), is pressing for the full House to take up the issue before the August recess.

H.R. 4157 establishes the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology as the federal government’s chief coordinator of health information technology [health IT] activities. The bill also directs the National Coordinator to oversee the implementation of a nationwide strategic plan that encourages interoperable health IT systems.

Also this summer, the Ways and Means Committee will consider very similar legislation that has already passed the U.S. Senate. The Wired for Health Care Quality Act, S. 1418, sponsored by Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), expands upon H.R. 4157 by requiring the Secretary to award grants to enable payers and health systems to afford health IT implementation costs. It further requires the Secretary to develop “measures of the quality of care patients receive” that are consistent with nationwide interoperable health IT infrastructures.

Interoperability remains a key concern in the health IT discussion. Interoperable health IT systems are systems that can ‘talk to each other,’ so that they can be integrated even if their computer codes are written in different languages.

For more information about these bills, go to:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR04157:@@@D&summ2=m&

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN01418:@@@D&summ2=m&

To contact your member of Congress, or your U.S. Senator, go to:
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

NMA Supports Legislation for Federal Funding of Stem Cell Research

The NMA applauds the U.S. Congress for working to pass legislation during the 109th Congress to authorize full federal funding for stem cell research. The NMA’s Advisory Group on Stem Cell Research will seek to articulate the NMA’s endorsement of this effort and provide insight and guidance on relevant developments in this groundbreaking field of study.

The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, H.R. 810, which already has passed the House, will authorize stem cell research from stem cells derived from human embryos, provided such embryos meet certain ethical criteria. For more information, please visit: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR00810:@@@D&summ2=m&

The House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi, (D-CA), and other stem cell research advocates held a press coference on Capitol Hill on May 23, 2006, to highlight the need for the U.S. Senate to move this agenda forward.  If you wish to contact your Senator about this issue, please visit: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

The St. Louis, Missouri area affiliate of the NMA, the Mound City Medical Forum (MCMF), announced its support for the Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative on May 9, 2006.  According to MCMF, this initiative “protects the right of Missouri patients to have their diseases and injuries treated with any federally-approved stem cell cures.” It is expected to appear on Missouri’s November ballot as a voter referendum.

United States Congress

The US Congress is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. In each chamber, there are committees and subcommittees whose responsibilities include health care policy. We have taken the liberty to list them here, with links to their official sites.

The US House of Representatives

The Committee on Energy and Commerce, Joe Barton (R-TX), Chair, has a Subcommittee on Health, chaired by Rep Nathan Deal, (R-GA).

http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/subcommittees/Health.htm

The Committee on Ways and Means, Bill Thomas, (R-CA), Chair, also has a Subcommittee on Health, chaired by Rep Nancy Johnson, (R-CT).

http://waysandmeans.house.gov/members.asp?comm=1

The US Senate

The Committee on Finance is one of the most powerful organs of the US Congress. Chaired by Sen. Charles Grassley, (R-IA), its Subcommittee on Health Care is chaired by Sen. Orrin Hatch, (R-UT).

http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/2001HearingF.htm/subcommittees.htm

http://help.senate.gov/./Subcommittees_index.html