Alliance Members Encouraged to Submit Testimony to House Ag/FDA Subcommittee in Support of the Alliance’s FY 23 “Ask”
Alliance Members Encouraged to Submit Testimony to House Ag/FDA Subcommittee in Support of the Alliance’s FY 23 “Ask”
The Alliance is encouraging all members to submit testimony to the House in support of the Alliance's “ask” for FY 23 FDA funding. We have followed the Administration’s lead in calling for an increase of $336 million over the FY 22 final funding level.
The Alliance for a Stronger FDA supports the Administration’s BA request of $3.653 billion. This provides for an increase of $318 million in BA salary and expenses (S&E) and an increase of $18 million in BA buildings and facilities (B&F).
We also support the proposed no-year money requests for pandemic response ($1.6 billion) and the Cancer Moonshot ($20 million).
The Alliance’s main message is that a growing agency (FDA) requires a budget that grows. The case for this is stronger if Alliance members tell Congress why more resources are necessary.
The House subcommittee has provided explicit directions about formatting and other submission details (here). Testimony is due May 31. For further guidance, we are providing the Alliance’s just-submitted Senate testimony and the two-page document that we have been using in Hill meetings. In addition, Alliance staff welcomes requests for assistance in preparing the testimony in support of FDA funding.
We emphasize that the best testimony has two parts, which may be intermixed: 1/ makes a number of broader points, and 2/ is specific to how a well-funded FDA advances programs that affect you or your organization.
Here are some of the broader points you may want to make:
FDA’s jurisdiction includes responsibility for 70% of the food supply and all drugs, medical devices, biologics, vaccines, veterinary food/medicine, dietary supplements, and cosmetics. Altogether, the agency oversees products that represent 20% of all consumer spending ($2.8 trillion) and touches Americans multiple times each day.
The primary beneficiary of FDA’s activities are the American people, making it critical that the public retain its leading role in the funding of the agency.
Thanks to Congressional appropriators and Administration support, FDA has received much-needed funding over the last decade. However, FDA’s mission continues to grow, and its vital activities have become more complex and require greater sophistication and expertise to complete.
The agency needs an increased budget, more scientific and technical staff, and better analytical tools that support science-based decision-making and keep up with innovation in both food and medical products
The agency has an overarching need for technology and data modernization, which will require a substantial investment but also generate substantial return-on-investment (ROI).
We urge Congress to recognize the multiple opportunities for FDA to be a more effective protector of public health, as well as a fair and efficient regulator. We are at a point where additional investment in FDA will result in substantial added value to the American public.
Editorial Note: The week’s Analysis and Commentary section was written by the Alliance’s Executive Director, Steven Grossman.
