Final FY19 Appropriations Bill.

On September 14th a conference agreement was released for a combined Labor-HHS and Defense spending package. According to the Coalition for Health Funding, this is the first time since 1997 the LHHS bill was completed before the end of the fiscal year. The conference report text is here, and the Joint Explanatory Statement here. The Senate is expected to vote on the package this week, and the House will take it up when they return next week. Here are some highlights:

• Overall, CDC's program level increased by $126.5 million, given that FY2018 included one-time lab construction funding.
• The bill allocates the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF), with $804.5 million going to CDC, which is $3.6 million more than last year.
• Funding for the Office on Smoking and Health at CDC totals $210 million, the same as FY2018.
• REACH received a $5 million increase, with all of that directed to the Good Health & Wellness in Indian Country program.
• $10 million for surveillance for emerging threats to mothers and babies, to continue tracking the impacts of Zika and other threats.
• The National Center for Environmental Health received a $4 million increase, including survival of the climate change program. 
• $5 million increase for Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program.
• $50 million for an Infectious Disease Rapid Response fund under CDC's budget (but money can be transferred to NIH and PHSSEF).
• The Strategic National Stockpile is under CDC's budget, but the explanatory statement acknowledges that the administration of the program is moving to ASPR.
• $475.5 million (level funding) for the Injury Center's Prescription Drug Overdose prevention actitivies.
• $5 million for a new initiative targeting infectious disease consequences of the opioid epidemic. Similar authorizing language is included in the Senate substance misuse package which is awaiting a vote.
• There are no funds provided to enable the CDC to research gun violence.
• SAMHSA received a $584 million increase.