EXPLORE Act and AORA Act 

The House recently passed the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act, the bipartisan House outdoor recreation package. The legislation, co-sponsored by Reps. Bruce Westerman and Raúl Grijalva, would improve accessibility options outdoors, improve or create new outdoor recreation facilities, and introduce more generations of children to the outdoors.  

America's Outdoor Recreation Act (AORA S.873) is the Senate bill co-sponsored by Senators Joe Manchin and John Barrasso. For more information on the AORA check out these links: Summary | Extended Summary 

Nomination Period for 2024 President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Awards 

The President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition (PCSFN) announces the nomination period for the 2024 Council Awards. The 2024 Council Awards recognize individuals or organizations that have contributed in various ways to the advancement or promotion of physical activity, fitness, sports, or nutrition. Nominations will be accepted from May 7 through July 1.  More 

New CDC.gov Website 

A refreshed version of the CDC website was launched May 15, 2024. The new site is a direct result of the agency–wide effort—involving many people over the last year—to modernize and transform CDC’s digital communication. The refreshed website will highlight content that is actionable, accurate, and easy to understand. The format is based on user testing and data and communication science. Most of CDC’s new content will be available in the revised format. There will be a period where some pages will be in the current format as part of a “hybrid’ site. These pages will be reformatted and phased in over the summer.  All URLs will change. Bookmarked pages should redirect you to a corresponding new page. You will want to check links to CDC content to be sure the redirect links are working and update your links to the new URL. A “page not found” notice means there is no replacement or alternative content 

CDC Advisory Committee Nominations 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a notice entitled, Solicitation of Nominations for Appointment to the Advisory Committee to the Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Notice of Extension. In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, CDC is seeking nominations for membership on the Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD), CDC (ACD, CDC). The ACD, CDC consists of up to 15 experts knowledgeable in areas pertinent to the CDC mission, such as public health, global health, health disparities, biomedical research, and other fields, as applicable. 

NIH Fiscal Year 2025 Funding 

The Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing entitled, A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request for the National Institutes of Health. Witnesses included: Dr. Monica M. Bertagnolli, M.D., Director, National Institutes of Health; Dr. W. Kimryn Rathmell, M.D., Ph.D., M.M.H.C., Director, National Cancer Institute; Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, M.D., M.P.H., Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Dr. Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse; Dr. Richard J. Hodes, M.D., Director, National Institute on Aging; and Dr. Gary H. Gibbons, M.D., Director, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. 

In her opening remarks, Subcommittee Chair Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) outlined the challenging fiscal environment, noting that restrictive discretionary funding caps are hindering vital investments across various federal agencies, including the NIH. Baldwin emphasized the need for Congress to return to a bipartisan consensus to support increases in NIH funding. She identified women’s health research, cancer research and prevention, and Alzheimer’s disease research as key priorities, and expressed concern about the slow progress in long COVID research. 

During her testimony, Dr. Bertagnolli emphasized the NIH’s significant impact across the nation and introduced two forthcoming programs designed to enhance health outcomes. The first program aims to connect patients with research discoveries, regardless of their location, by enlisting primary care clinicians to assist patients in overcoming health challenges within their communities. The second program will enhance data collection efforts by building on the existing All of Us program and utilizing advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.  Dr. Bertagnolli highlighted that by collaborating with government, industry, and academic partners, the NIH will drive health innovation on a national scale. These initiatives are expected to provide secure research access to data, supported by advanced analytics and computational power. 

The hearing underscored the critical role of the NIH in advancing public health and the necessity for adequate funding to support its mission. Many of the remarks during the hearing reflected a shared understanding of the importance of continued investment in health research to address pressing health challenges facing the nation. 

Congressional Preventive Health and Wellness Caucus 

Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16), alongside Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-WI-4), announced the launch of the Congressional Preventive Health and Wellness Caucus, a bipartisan initiative aimed at addressing the obesity epidemic in the U.S. With obesity contributing significantly to chronic diseases and healthcare costs, the caucus seeks to raise awareness and advocate for policy-driven solutions. Key objectives include quantifying the economic impact of obesity; introducing legislation for prevention and treatment; hosting congressional hearings on obesity-related healthcare strategies; and organizing roundtable discussions to address regional challenges.