Answers to Your Questions about FY24 Appropriation
Q: In broad terms, what is the Administration proposing for FDA for FY24?
A: The President’s request is for an increase of $372 million in budget authority (BA) funding, which is the portion of the agency funding by taxpayers. This is a 10% increase over FY23 and would bring BA funding to approximately $3.915 billion.
The proposal has three main parts:
An increase of $133.2 million for improving food, nutrition, and cosmetics programs;
An increase of $98.2 million for advancing safe and effective medical products, of which more than two-thirds is allocated to increases in opioid anti-addiction programs and to reigniting the Cancer Moonshot; and
An increase of $140.5 for cross-agency initiatives that would strengthen agency capacity and to address infrastructure needs, of which the bulk ($105.3 million) is for FY 23 and FY 24 agency-wide pay raises.
Q: Before providing the Alliance with feedback, how can I learn more about what the Administration is proposing for FY 24?
A: We suggest starting with the FDA Fiscal Year 2024 Justification of Estimates for Appropriations Committees (aka the Congressional Justification or CJ). The Administration’s clearest illustration of its FY 24 spending priorities for the FDA can be found in a table which appears on page 6. Pages 7-11 have a further discussion of each line item, with links to more detailed descriptions of the Administration proposal.
Q: Why is the Alliance asking for feedback and what would be helpful?
A: The Alliance supports the President’s overall requested increase of $372 million. We also are inclined to follow the allocations within the proposed funding because it presumably represents FDA’s best thinking on its priorities.
However, we are not bound by those allocations. We want input from Alliance members as to where more attention (and resources) might be needed. For example, this week’s meeting with the FDA Office of Chief Scientist about cosmetics safety reform, left all of us (the Alliance plus 10 members groups representing consumers, patients, and industry) concerned that more money is needed now and significantly more than $5 million might be required in FY 24.
Q: Who should receive the feedback on priorities in the President’s FY 24 budget and when?
A: If you have questions—or priorities you want to share—please contact Steven Grossman.
We are looking at two deadlines. Anything received by COB March 28 will be considered for possible inclusion in the Alliance’s Senate testimony (due March 31). Anything received by April 18 will be considered for possible inclusion in the Alliance’s hand-outs at its first Hill day activities (April 25).
Q: Does any of this matter because of the threat of a budget deadlock that might result in a Continuing Resolution and a possible rollback to the prior year’s budget levels?
A: Yes, it matters. No one knows how the conflicts over macro-budgetary issues (e.g., discretionary funding totals) will be resolved. Whatever dollars are available, FDA—with its expanding mission and growing responsibilities—needs to be seen as a compelling sell for more funding.
Timing also matters. The House has been moving appropriations bill faster in recent years, while the Senate has struggled to gain even successful subcommittee mark-ups. This has delayed decisions that we hope will come earlier and faster this year.
As reported by Roll Call, new Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray and Vice Chair Susan Collins are focused on moving FY 2024 funding bills in the coming months. They are hopeful that there will be agreement on a topline number, something that was lacking last year and which is often the key to completing action on appropriations bills.