Greetings!

It has been a busy month in Washington with the House of Representatives passing several health related bills and President Biden released his fiscal year 2022 topline budget. You can learn more about recent Advocacy news on the IFFGD website in our Advocacy News section. We update this page regularly with the latest information from Washington and provide a summary in each edition of the Advocacy Connection (see below).

As we begin the second quarter of 2021 and the 116th Congress is ramping up, IFFGD hosted our Annual Advocacy Event. We hope you enjoyed the program, contacted your legislators, and learned more about resources to advocate for yourself! If you were unable to attend this Live-Steam event, the entire program is available on IFFGD’s YouTube channel and on our website.

Highlights from this issue:

  • Advocate Spotlight - Tina is a strong patient leader and active advocate for those impacted by chronic GI conditions. Like many, Tina has both inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) diagnoses and suffers from other GI conditions. Read more about Tina below.

  • Legislative Priorities in GI Illness - There is much to be done to move the needle forward for the gastrointestinal illness community. Having a strategic approach and working with others with similar interests in order to tackle issues facing each of us takes thought and planning. IFFGD President, Ceciel Rooker, talks about the IFFGD Legislative priorities for 2021 in the video highlighted below.


Be active. Be heard. Make a difference.
The following are expected to reintroduce in the 117th Congress:

Tina is a strong patient leader and active advocate for those impacted by chronic GI conditions. Like many people with multiple chronic GI conditions, Tina has had a long illness journey that is still ongoing. Throughout her many obstacles created by her GI conditions, Tina is actively making her voice heard to improve the lives of all those impacted by GI illness. In this article, Tina discusses some of the key aspects of her journey.

Find hers and other advocate stories here. If you would like to share your advocacy experiences, please email advocacy@iffgd.org.
If you missed the IFFGD 2021 Advocacy Event, please visit our website to view the program. Included were sessions on:
  • Finding Help Through Support Groups on Facebook: Learn more about what to look for in a Facebook support group to help narrow down your search.
  • In-person and Online Support Groups: These discussions will highlight the unique benefits that in-person and online support groups can provide for the community.
  • Developing a Comprehensive Support System: Building a well-rounded support system is important to ensure the best quality of care for all GI patients. These video discussions will educate viewers on types of support that are not always considered. 
  • Advocacy Education: Learn more about Congress, why advocacy is so important, how to contact and follow-up with Congress, as well as IFFGD’s legislative priorities for the GI community. 
  • Governmental Support: Topics include opportunities for youth involvement and education on safely and efficiently traveling with GI conditions. Viewers will also learn more about current resources from the VA and the work being done to improve future resources.

If you have any questions, email advocacy@iffgd.org

Keeping informed on the federal budget process is important for all of us as constituents. IFFGD works diligently to stay versed on the appropriations process each year. We will keep you updated as the appropriations process continues for fiscal year (FY) 2022. Each FY runs from October 1st through September 30th of the following year.

In early April, the White House issued its top-line discretionary spending proposal for FY 2022. The blueprint provides less detail than a typical budget submission, a more detailed proposal is expected in May. Highlights of the blueprint include proposed spending increases on domestic discretionary programs such as public health, research, education, and the environment; with less of an emphasis on security/defense spending.
  • $8.7 billion in budget authority for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an increase of $1.6 billion over FY 2021. Combined with annual funding from HHS’s Prevention and Public Health Fund, this would push CDC’s annual program level toward the $10 billion mark.
  • $51 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an increase of $9 billion. The NIH budget proposal includes creation of a new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) housed with NIH and supported by a requested $6.5 billion budget.
  • $670 million for the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, an increase of $267 million above FY 2021.
  • $10.7 billion to address the national opioid crisis, an increase of $3.9 billion above FY 2021.
  • An additional $600 million annually to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI) through the Department of Education, and additional investments in HBCU/MSIs at other agencies.
  • $882 million for the VA Medical and Prosthetic Research Program, an increase of $67 million over FY 2021.

Find more information on these budget and appropriation updates here.
Legislative Priorities in GI Illness
During the IFFGD Advocacy Event, IFFGD President Ceciel Rooker spoke about the Legislative Priorities for IFFGD. Throughout the year, IFFGD reviews many topics and issues that might impact the gastrointestinal illness community and work with others to advocate for change. While this interview is not a complete listing of advocacy activities or priorities for the organization, it gives the viewer a topline view of the IFFGD's Legislative Priorities. You can view the video here.

Policies and priorities related to healthcare, research, treatment, guidelines, and much more are continually changing. We will provide monthly updates on items relevant to the GI community.

FASTER Act - The Food Allergy, Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act of 2021 passed the House of Representatives in April. This bill, passed by the Senate in March, expands the definition of major food allergen for purposes of certain food-labeling requirements to specifically include sesame. In addition, this bill mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services must report on certain information related to food allergy research and data collection activities. The FASTER Act was signed into law by President Biden on April 23, 2021.

Also in April, The House of Representatives passed several additional health bills ranging from food allergy safety, to research endowments at minority-serving institutions, to improving awareness and education about biologics and biosimilars.

Find more information on these health policy updates here.
What is the NIAID??
The NIAID is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Among the 27 Institutes and Centers that comprise the NIH, NIAID has a unique mandate, which requires the Institute to respond to emerging public health threats. As such, many have recently heard more about this agency during the coronavirus pandemic.

However, this institute is responsible for much more than just emerging health emergencies. The three divisions making up the NIAID are:
  • Division of AIDS (DAIDS)
  • Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation (DAIT)
  • Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID)

NIAID advances the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of many of the world’s most intractable and widespread diseases. Key research areas include newly emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and influenza, HIV/AIDS, biodefense, and immune-mediated diseases including asthma and allergy.

To learn more about the work of NIAID visit their website, niaid.nim.gov
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International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD)
414-964-1799 | iffgd@iffgd.org | www.iffgd.org
IFFGD is a nonprofit organization.
We rely on donor support to fund research and to provide reliable information and support to those affected by chronic gastrointestinal disorders