September 24, 2025

Academy Members Mobilize to Defend Public Health 

Academy members are convening in their various chapters to promote public health in several states across the country. Recent meetings include chapter meetings for Southwest, California-Hawaii, Pacific Northwest, Texas, Northeastern, Pennsylvania, and New York-New Jersey, just to name a few. We are looking forward to presenting our new advocacy strategy next month at our board meeting, where we will discuss how the Academy will continue to build capacity for each of our members to strengthen their advocacy efforts.

Decimating the EHE Initiative

Federal budget negotiations on Capitol Hill continue to threaten funding for HIV programs. On September 9, the House Appropriations Committee (HAC) marked up the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) spending bill, which rejected the Senate’s bipartisan approach and proposed deep spending cuts to health programs, including eliminating HIV prevention funding at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), decimating Parts C, D and F of the Ryan White Program and eliminating the EHE initiative.

Funding for HIV Infrastructure

The House bill spares almost none of the HIV treatment and prevention infrastructure. Though the bill is more brutal than the President’s budget, it had fewer cuts to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies. So, House Republicans eliminated HIV programs to reach their goal.

Assessing the Viability of a Continuing Resolution

Appropriators are weighing their options to pass a spending package for fiscal year 2026 and avoid a government shutdown at the start of the fiscal year on October 1. With limited time remaining to work out a bipartisan spending agreement, Congress will need to advance a continuing resolution (CR) to temporarily extend current spending levels and buy appropriators more time to negotiate on a full-year spending package.

Democrats warned Republicans that they would not sign off on a spending package that includes deep spending cuts, raising the potential for a shutdown standoff. Additionally, they called on Republicans to reign in the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) aggressive rescissions tactics and uphold the Congressional power of the purse vested by the Constitution.

Funding for Community Health Centers

The House bill also included another $157.3 million cut from Community Health Centers programs at HRSA focused on initiating PrEP. These cuts impact both the treatment and the prevention side and go beyond what was in the Trump administration’s proposed budget.

As the House and Senate hammer out a budget in the months ahead, we must ensure that our voices are heard.

SIGN-ONS

Letter Demanding Resignation of HHS Secretary Kennedy

On September 19, the Academy joined IDSA and more than twenty other medical and public health organizations demanding that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. step down from his position as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), citing what they call his efforts to “undermine science and public health.”

Letter Urging CVS to Cover Yeztugo Without Delay

On September 17, the Academy joined HIV+Hep and NMAC in a community sign-on letter to CVS Health urging them to cover Yeztugo, underscoring the importance of PrEP, and reminding them that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force PrEP recommendation encompasses all PrEP drugs and ancillary services.

ACTIONS

Action Alert – No HIV Funding Cuts

House Republicans are proposing a $2 billion cut to HIV funding. Tell your member of Congress: No Cuts to HIV funding! Take action at bit.ly/460iLdD.

Action Alert – Protect Affordable Premiums

Currently, enhanced premium tax credits lower the cost of health care for over 20 million people nationwide. If Congress lets these credits expire as they are set to do at the end of 2025 (in a few months), millions will lose coverage and premiums will balloon for millions more. Take action at bit.ly/Protect-Premiums!

Call for Abstracts – AIDS Watch 2026

The AIDSWatch planning partners invite you to help shape the agenda by submitting an abstract for AIDSWatch 2026, taking place March 16-18, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Workshops should center community, elevate diverse voices and meaningfully involve people with HIV in leadership roles. Proposals are due by October 31, 2025. Submit your workshop abstract today.

AIDSWatch@ Home

AIDS United is seeking organizations to host state-based HIV advocacy events. Grants available for eight states. State-level HIV advocacy is more crucial than ever. Learn more and apply at aidsunited.org/grants.

RESOURCES

Recent Advocacy Win in the Courts

A federal court sides with Head Start on immigration federal benefits. On September 10, a federal judge blocked Trump administration restrictions on services for immigrants in the country illegally, including the federal preschool program, health clinics and adult education.

CDC Employee Support Group 

If you or someone you know has been impacted by the recent violence against CDC and public health professionals, a former CDC office director is leading a new free support group at East Atlanta Counseling. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Christopher D. Jones, PhD, LCSW on LinkedIn or via email at chris@eastatlantacounseling.com.

Where: East Atlanta Counseling, 317 West Hill Street, Decatur, GA 30030
When: Fridays, 12:00 – 12:45 p.m. ET, beginning September 12, 2025
Cost: No fee
Frequency: Ongoing for six weeks; register and attend as you’re available

Vaccine Recommendations

On September 8, the American Academy of Family Physicians announced its fall immunization recommendations, adding to a growing body of medical specialty societies that are encouraging vaccine access and uptake this season. Find immunization recommendations for COVID-19, the flu, and RSV at a glance in the Common Health Coalition’s up-to-date guide. For more in-depth vaccine toolkits and additional resources, visit Common Health Coalition’s resource page.

State Profiles on HIV Prevention – CDC resource

These HIV prevention profiles highlight the current HIV prevention challenges, opportunities and investments in jurisdictions across the nation.

ACLU Reminders Regarding the First Amendment Freedoms

The First Amendment protects every person’s right to speak out by ensuring the government does not use times of crisis — or labels like hate speech — as an excuse to censor views it doesn’t like. At a moment when the government is using every tool at its disposal to push ideological conformity, here are five reminders about your First Amendment rights.

Survey on Accessibility of Long-Acting PrEP

This survey, launched in collaboration with PrEP in Black America, NBGMAC, and HRC, is designed in pursuit of a better understanding of the preferences, access and barriers to long-acting PrEP for Black Gay Men and Black Trans Communities in the U.S. By sharing their experiences, survey participants will help identify what makes LAP accessible and effective, as well as the challenges that may limit its impact. Share survey here.

Survey on the Experiences of Stigmatizing Language

The Well Project invites people with HIV to participate in an important anonymous survey called “Words Matter: Experiences of Stigmatizing Language Among Women Living with HIV.” The purpose of this research is to better understand how language used in health care and service settings affects the lives and care experiences of women with HIV. Results can help improve how providers and systems communicate with and support women in our community. Share survey here.

Microgrant Opportunity for HIV-Centered Projects

SERO Project is offering grants up to $15,000 for community-led, people with HIV-centered projects. Recipients of the microgrant will receive funding, mentorship and support on bringing their project to life. The deadline to apply is September 30. Please share this opportunity with your networks. Click here to apply.

CDC Resignation and Ousting Coverage 

Céline Gounder, KFF Health News’ editor-at-large for public health, discusses the resignation of top Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials after the ousting of agency director Susan Monarez on CBS News’ “CBS Mornings” on Aug. 28. Read Ms. Gounder’s article in KFF: “Senior CDC Officials Resign After Monarez’s Ouster, Citing Concerns Over Scientific Independence.”