Federal Affairs

On May 7, President Gregory L. Fenves was back on Capitol Hill. He met with several members of Congress as well as key staffers working on issues of concern to Emory. While Emory continues to get a good reception in the halls of Congress, the general dissatisfaction with the higher education sector is undeniable. The federal affairs team also joined the Georgia Hospital Association as part of their annual fly in.

On April 30, the Senate Appropriations Committee held a hearing on “Biomedical Research: Keeping America’s Edge in Innovation.” Deans Sandra Wong, Dani Fallin, and Linda McCauley submitted testimony for the record. Sen. Ossoff read parts of Emory’s testimony during his remarks. Inclusion in the Congressional Record is an important mechanism for reinforcing our advocacy efforts.

The AAMC Scientific Affairs team has developed a brief on the Impact of NIH Grant Terminations. The brief summarizes the current state and impact of NIH grant terminations on U.S. institutions, with a focus on medical schools and hospitals, drawing from a dynamic database that tracks grant terminations. The team plans to update the brief regularly as additional or new information on terminations emerges.

OGCA would like to thank our two spring interns – Bella Mazet and Alex Dolle. They have worked behind the scenes to research, track, and prepare our team for advocacy on multiple pressing issues at the federal level. We wish them the best in each of their career journeys!

State Affairs

Governor Kemp Signs Key Bills; Budget Still Awaiting Approval
Governor Brian Kemp is currently in the 40-day bill review period, during which all legislation passed by the General Assembly is considered for signature. While the comprehensive tort reform package has already been signed into law, Emory is closely monitoring several outstanding items—including the Fiscal Year 2026 state budget.
This year, Emory secured two important budget line items:

$3 million in one-time 4:1 matching funds to enhance and stabilize behavioral and mental health services in the Emergency Department at Emory University Hospital Midtown.

$1 million to expand PTSD treatment research and wraparound services at the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program, supporting Georgia’s veterans and their families.

While we await final action on the budget, we’re pleased to share that House Bill 94 and House Bill 428—focused on fertility preservation and IVF—were signed into law last Thursday by Governor Kemp in Savannah. Emory supported the passage of both bills through our participation in a coalition of health care and patient advocacy organizations.

House Bill 94 requires insurance coverage for fertility preservation services when medically necessary treatments (e.g., for cancer, sickle cell, or lupus) may impair fertility.

House Bill 428 codifies the right to access in vitro fertilization (IVF).

OGCA remains in close communication with the Governor’s office to support these key initiatives and advocate for Emory’s priorities.

Study Committees
Emory is closely tracking the formation of potential 2024 study committees, which are awaiting final approval by the Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House. These committees are expected to examine critical policy areas over the interim.

We are currently following the below study committee resolutions:

HR 72 – Cancer Care Access

HR 847 – Public Health Funding

HR 753 – Rural Internal Medicine Access

SR 431 – AI & Social Media Impact on Children

SR 474 – Higher Education Affordability

Once study committees are formally appointed by their respective chamber leaders, each will typically hold a series of meetings to hear from subject-matter experts and stakeholders. OGCA is actively assessing opportunities for Emory experts to provide testimony and contribute meaningfully to these discussions.

Community Affairs

Mini Violence Prevention Symposium
On March 3, OGCA partnered with Emory Healthcare, the Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory (IPRCE) and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) on a mini violence prevention symposium at the 2nd Annual Health and Wellness Discovery Day at Privi in southeast DeKalb County. We are grateful for the support of our partners who helped to make this a successful and impactful event.

Voting
Emory is proud to once again serve as a polling location for DeKalb County. Voting will take place at the 1599 Administrative Building, located at 1599 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322. Election hours are available on the DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections website. Early voting for the Public Service Commissioner Special Primary Election begins Tuesday, May 27. Election Day is Tuesday, June 17. The Emory Votes Initiative (EVI) will continue to support the on-campus polling precinct by coordinating, scheduling, and training volunteers. To sign up as a volunteer, please see the flyer below.

OGCA Staff Accolades

OGCA team members continue to excel! On April 29, Kendra Price graduated from Emory’s Emerging Leaders program. Also in April, Penny Moceri earned a Graphic Design & Visual Communications Certificate. On May 9, Veronica Watts will receive a Blinkie Award for her Safe Streets advocacy work. Looking ahead, Sydney Wilkins will begin the coursework for Emory’s Evening MBA program in August 2025.

Mark your Calendar!

The OGCA team is pleased to offer three online updates for our community in the next six months. These legislative policy updates are designed solely for Emory community members.

OGCA Legislative Updates:

Monday, June 9, 10 a.m.--Please register here!

Monday, Aug. 25, 10 a.m.

Monday, Oct. 20, 10 a.m.

In addition, for those wanting to learn more about engagement with policy makers, we are offering a learning session in August. Further details are forthcoming.

OGCA Advocacy 101 Session:

Wednesday, Aug. 27, 10 a.m.

For more information, please reach out to Penny Moceri @penelope.j.moceri@emory.edu.

1599 Clifton Road, NE, Suite 5.201, Atlanta, GA 30322 | 404-727-4088 | kendra.price@emory.edu