ASTHO Urges Swift Approval of Bipartisan Budget Deal

July 23, 2019

ARLINGTON, VA—The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) applauds the bipartisan budget deal to increase funding for non-defense discretionary programs in FY20 and FY21. “We are grateful to Congress and the Administration for working collaboratively to develop a bipartisan budget deal to end sequestration permanently for discretionary programs. We implore Congress to swiftly approve this bill,” says ASTHO CEO Michael Fraser. “Increased investments in public health are sorely needed. State, territorial, and local public health departments face continued challenges addressing the ongoing opioid crisis, reducing rates of HIV transmission, improving data infrastructure, and providing the necessary resources to continue addressing chronic disease prevention and health promotion. We look forward to working with Congress to ensure robust allocation for critical public health programs in FY20 and beyond.”