2025 So Far...
As our members know, the last eight months have been incredibly busy. CHF staff have been enjoying this August recess and are using time to reflect on all the work we and our members have done since January.
CHF on the Hill
With a new Congress in town, CHF staff delivered welcome letters to all new members of Congress in early February. We used this opportunity to introduce ourselves, explain who our members are, and why public health funding is so important. We also delivered letters to new members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. In total, we distributed 67 letters!
CHF Webinars
Since January, CHF has hosted several webinars aimed at helping our members better understand the rapidly changing federal landscape. These webinars have included topics such as:
CHF Member calls with HAC Leaders
CHF hosted a member meeting on April 30 with House Appropriations Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro. During the call, CHF members heard Rep. DeLauro outline her ongoing concerns regarding FY25 funds and the FY26 process.
In June, CHF hosted another members-only call with House Appropriations Committee majority staff from Chair Cole’s office to hear about their priorities related to the FY26 appropriations process. Over 100 CHF members had the opportunity to ask questions about what we can expect to see related to process and the quickly approaching end of the fiscal year.
CHF Statements and Letters
Since the beginning of the year, CHF have put out eleven statements and letters in response to the ongoing FY26 appropriations process and actions of the Trump administration. Additionally, CHF staff also submitted Outside Witness Testimony to both the House and Senate LHHS subcommittees. A full list of these statements and letters can be found on our website here.
HHS Passback Analysis
In April, a 64-page copy of HHS’ FY26 “passback” was leaked. This document included sweeping cuts to federal health agencies and a significant reorganization of the Department. CHF staff, along with other staff from CRD Associates, quickly analyzed the document and provided a detailed analysis, which can be found here.
Keeping Up with the Agencies - May 29 - June 10
CHF hosted a series of calls to convene members interested in discussing ongoing changes and challenges facing the NIH, CDC, SAMHSA, HRSA, and AHRQ. CHF members also discussed what organizations are doing to combat funding cuts related to these agencies and connect with other CHF member orgs with similar priorities for specific agencies.
CHF Hill Days
CHF hosted a Hill Day on June 5, where members met with staff of Senate and House Republicans to educate them on ongoing FY25 funding challenges and advocate for public health programs in FY26. In total, there were nearly 50 CHF members from a variety of organizations that participated in 28 meetings throughout the day.
Due to the overwhelming demand from our June 5 Hill Day, CHF hosted a second Hill Day focused on advocating for public health funding on July 24. CHF members participated in 29 meetings with Republicans across the House and Senate to educate members on the importance of health funding and how federal health programs impact their constituents.
District Toolkit
After hearing our Hill champions emphasize the importance of member engaging their advocates at the district and state-levels, CHF staff published a District Toolkit for our members to use. The toolkit includes general talking points on the importance of funding public health programs, how to find and what to expect during townhalls, and tips and tricks for writing letters to the editor or submitting op-eds in local newspapers.
CHF Member Happy Hour - July 24
Following our July Hill Day, CHF also hosted its annual member Happy Hour at Present Company on July 25. Members who participated in our Hill Day (and those who didn’t) stopped by for some relaxed mingling over drinks and very spicy chicken sandwiches (IYKYK).
CHF Budget and Appropriation Analyses
Upon the release of President Trump’s skinny and full budget, as well as the Senate LHHS bill, CHF staff worked to provide high-level and detailed analyses of funding numbers and potential policy changes and reorganization. This included sending out a series of standalone alerts to our members that included agency topline numbers and alerts sharing links to Congressional Justifications and the bill report.
Upon release of the Senate LHHS bill and report, CHF sent an alert with topline numbers for each agency.
Staff also updated the CHF Budget Chart with available numbers with comparisons to last enacted funding levels upon the release of the President’s Budget Request and the Senate LHHS bill and report.
CHF Resources
At the start of the appropriations process, CHF developed and circulated the FY26 Appropriations Form Tracker—a one-stop resource providing members with forms and submission instructions ahead of deadlines.
CHF staff have been hard at work all year helping our members digest and understand how the Trump administration’s actions impact health funding. As a result, we’ve developed a variety of resources for our members to utilize. These have included:
OMB Funding Freeze Info & Resources
OMB Funding Freeze Questionnaire
Rural Health Collaboration One-Pager
Analysis of President Trump’s FY26 Budget Proposal
With September gearing up to be a very busy month, we hope that our members have a restful August and come back ready to dive back into the fight to protect and fund health!
Sincerely,
The CHF Team