Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan: On July 28, the White House and a bipartisan group of Senators reached an infrastructure package agreement. Of importance to Emory, OGCA and our associations were successful in combating proposals to use the Provider Relief Fund as a package pay-for. Unfortunately, the legislation does include an extension of the Medicare sequester; we will continue to encourage the delay or removal of the full sequester. The proposed legislation includes $550 billion in new spending over the next 5 years. The package includes grants to states for broadband expansion and affordability, $39.2 billion for public transit, and $110 billion in new spending for roads, bridges, and major projects. For a more detailed summary of the legislation, please see here. This legislation will still need to pass through the Senate and House before heading to President Biden. 

Labor-HHS Appropriations: The House Appropriations Committee approved a more than $253.8 billion Labor-HHS spending bill for Fiscal Year 2022. The package, approved 33-25 largely along party lines, provides $119.8 billion in funding for HHS in FY 2022, a $22.9 billion boost from FY 2021. Emory received a number of specific funding increases, including a $29 million increase for NETEC, a $2 million increase for the Injury Prevention Research Center, and $432 million increase for the National Cancer Institute. We expect this bill to change significantly in conference with the Senate, and will continue to advocate for Emory’s priorities. 

• ARPA-H: The House Appropriations Labor-HHS-Education package includes $49.4 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a $6.5 billion increase from its current level. Of that $6.5 billion increase, $3 billion would fund the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), a new special projects agency to be housed within the NIH that aims to speed up game-changing biomedical discoveries.

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Health Information Technology Advisory Committee: The General Accountability Office (GAO) is now accepting nominations for the Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC) appointments. The 21st Century Cures Act established HITAC to provide recommendations to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology on policies, standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria relating to the implementation of a health information technology infrastructure that advances the electronic access, exchange, and use of health information. From these nominations, GAO expects to appoint at least five new HITAC members, focusing especially on health care providers, ancillary health care workers, health information technology developers, and patient advocates. Members serve 3-year terms beginning January 1, 2022, with the terms subject to renewal. Interested nominees should submit letters of nominations and resumes to HITCommittee@gao.gov by August 24, 2021.

Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative

Emory has partnered with the Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative (AWBI) to create more inclusive contracting. Emory is one of nine initial “anchor partners” for AWBI's campaign to support 1000 black businesses in 1000 days. The Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative has already helped Emory identify a slate of minority-owned businesses as potential contractors to manage the more than 2,100 tons of waste the University collects for compost. Read more about this partnership in the Atlanta Business Chronicle here.

On July 16, OGCA team members Alan Anderson, AVP for University Partnerships, and Brandon Gardner, Assistant Director of Community Engagement, joined the Community Building and Social Change Fellows (CBSC) for a tour of the Edgewood District.

Pictured above are Alan Anderson, far right; then Brandon Gardner; along with Emory CBSC fellows and members of the Zeist Foundation.

Toco Hills Vaccine Event

On July 28, Emory University and Emory Healthcare (EHC) partnered with the Toco Hills Community Alliance for a vaccine clinic. Pictured below are students, staff, and healthcare workers from EHC as well members of the Toco Hills Community Alliance.