April Advocate Monthly Update
Dear METAvivor Advocates,
Both the House and Senate were in recess for much of April, but as of the 14th, both chambers have returned to work on capitol hill. Fiscal Year (FY) 27 Appropriations remain a focus, with Agency heads testifying before House and Senate committees in support of the President’s proposed budget, which was released at the beginning of the month.
President Releases proposed budget
The President released his proposed FY 2027 Budget on April 3. The budget proposes a 12% cut to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately flat funding for the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and a 37% cut to the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). The budget proposes flat funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Cancer Prevention and Control programs but recommends transferring them to the proposed Administration for a Healthy America (AHA).
RFK Testimony
On April 17, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified in front of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Appropriations Committee Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Subcommittee about the President’s fiscal year 2027 budget request. This was the first of six scheduled appearances before House and Senate Committees scheduled between April 17 and April 22. We are monitoring
New CDC Director Nominated
President Trump has nominated Dr. Erica Schwartz, who served as deputy surgeon general in his first administration, to serve as the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. Schwartz has a medical degree from Brown University, as well as a law degree from the University of Maryland, and served as deputy surgeon general during the first Trump administration. She was also a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and chief medical officer for the Coast Guard. Given her credentials her nomination has been well-received, but some in the public health community worry that she many come under pressure from Secretary Kennedy considering their differing stances on vaccines. Her appointment will require Senate confirmation, which may take several months. The CDC has been without a permanent leader since Susan Monarez was ousted from the role in August of 2025, with NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya serving as Acting CDC Director in the interim.
Looking Ahead
METAvivor is in the process of setting up and launching a new online platform that will enable advocates to easily identify their members of Congress and access draft letters that they can personalize and send with one click. We are excited about the ways that this new tool will help us keep you informed, and how it will enable you to use your voice to advocate and educate policy makers. Stay tuned for more details!
Sincerely,
The METAvivor Advocacy Team