This week ASAHP joined with other members of two coalitions, the Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions (FASHP) and the Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC), in urging congressional leaders to include robust health professions funding in a FY 23 appropriations package.
The joint letter from FASHP advocates for strong funding for student aid programs like the Pell Grant program and campus-based aid programs, as well as continued support for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF).
The joint letter from HPNEC urges Congress to provide at least the higher of the two funding levels from the draft House and Senate Labor-HHS-Ed spending bill for the HRSA Title VII health professions and Title VIII nursing workforce development programs for FY 2023.
The current Continuing Resolution (CR) expires on December 16, and Democrats and Republicans have yet to agree on spending levels for non-defense spending along with an array of other issues, increasing the likelihood of another Continuing Resolution into the following week, giving both parties more time to negotiate an Omnibus spending agreement. Many of the most conservative Members in the House and Senate would like to push final consideration of FY 23 funding until Republicans regain control of the House next month, allowing them to recraft the bills at significantly lower overall funding levels.
The FASHP letter may be accessed here and the HPNEC letter may be accessed here.