After months of failed negotiations, in December Congress finally passed a federal funding bill that included much-needed COVID-19 relief for struggling communities across the nation. The Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Omnibus) was signed by the President on December 27, 2020. The Omnibus allocated critical funding for COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, vaccine distribution and administration, and contact tracing and testing, with specific funds designated for high-risk and underserved populations, including communities of color.

The Omnibus allocated $50 million to the Data Modernization Initiative at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a key CSTE priority. Importantly, this legislation also included language to authorize activities to improve the public health data systems at the CDC. This provision will ensure that critical investments in our nation’s public health infrastructure go toward the most necessary updates. It remains essential that funds be appropriated annually to CDC to meet the $100 million authorization level this program needs to ensure its ongoing implementation and success. CSTE was at the forefront of advocating for this critical provision and will continue to urge Congress to prioritize funding for our public health data infrastructure to improve our response to COVID-19 and help state and local health departments prepare for the inevitable next public health crisis.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden was sworn into office on January 20, 2021. Prior to the Inauguration, Biden released his American Rescue Plan, a proposal for yet another critical round of pandemic relief funding. The American Rescue Plan contains many essential investments to boost our nation’s pandemic response, such as $20 billion for a national vaccination plan; $50 billion for diagnostic tests and screening; and critically, a strong commitment to expand the public health workforce. As the presidential transition ramped up, CSTE held numerous conversations with transition officials, and later, White House staff. During these conversations, CSTE emphasized the need for additional funding for the DMI and shared specific activities that could be undertaken immediately to help to address data modernizations needs. One of these key recommendations was to include CSTE members and leadership in the COVID-19 taskforce meetings. As a result of our outreach and ongoing communications with key officials, the American Rescue Plan contains a request for $700 million to address data modernization needs at the state, local, and federal levels. CSTE strongly supports this investment and has begun conversations with leaders on Capitol Hill to bring it to fruition.

Now the Biden Administration must work with Congress to appropriate these essential funds—and CSTE is working to ensure they go to DMI. The slim margin in the Senate will make it difficult for the new Democratic majority to push the funding proposal forward. While Congress attempts to find a bipartisan agreement, Democratic leaders in the Senate and House are also considering moving the proposal through a process called budget reconciliation, which only requires a simple majority in the Senate for passage, but may not allow for inclusion of every priority.

When President Biden took office, he also quickly released a National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness. This plan represents both a comprehensive attack on COVID-19 and an approach to better equip the U.S. to respond to future threats. As part of this national strategy, President Biden issued an Executive Order Ensuring a Data-Driven Response to COVID-19 and Future High-Consequence Public Health Threats. This executive order acknowledges that a strengthened public health infrastructure will make it possible for the U.S. to better prevent, detect, and respond to future diseases and other public health crises. Under this executive order relevant federal agencies will coordinate to advance and upgrade our public health data infrastructure.

As our members work on the ground to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, CSTE will continue to press Congress and the Administration to follow through with the funding and policy priorities that will best position our public health workforce to succeed against COVID-19 and the threats of the future.

Meghan Riley is vice president at Cavarocchi Ruscio Dennis Associates, LLC, which represents CSTE’s interests on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.