Government Affairs Committee Update

September 2005

ASH Annual Meeting Rescheduled for December 10-13 in Atlanta, GA
The ASH annual meeting, originally to be held in New Orleans, has been rescheduled for December 10-13 (Corporate Friday sessions will take place on December 9) in Atlanta, Georgia, as a result of the devastating damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. Please note that this is one week later than the original meeting dates. Additional information is available online. A schedule of Government Affairs Committee-related sessions and events is below. Please mark your calendars!

• Government Affairs Committee Meeting
  Saturday, December 10, 10:00 am—12:00 pm

• Special Symposium—Anemia and the Elderly: A Public Health Crisis in Hematology?
  Saturday, December 10, 2:00—3:45 pm

• Committee on Practice Forum
  Saturday, December 10, 6:00—7:30 pm

• Grassroots Network Breakfast
  Sunday, December 11, 7:00—8:00 am

• ASH/European Hematology Association Policy Forum
  Sunday, December 11, 12:15—1:30 pm

• Address by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Director Dr. Betsy Nabel
  Tuesday, December 13, 10:30—10:45 am (this session moved to Tuesday from Sunday)

Legislative Update—Now is the Time to Participate in ASH’s Advocacy Campaigns
The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina has overwhelmed Congress’ agenda and calendar and is expected to add to a ballooning federal deficit, which will make an already constrained fiscal environment that much more difficult for NIH appropriations and physician reimbursement. Now is a great opportunity to take advantage of the easy online advocacy system ASH has put in place to influence legislation. Please visit ASH’s Advocacy Center to learn more and send an e-mail to your Members of Congress about NIH funding (more information below), stem cell research , funding for the Sickle Cell Treatment Act, and physician reimbursement.

For this year, several ASH priority issues remain on Congress’ agenda.

• NIH Appropriations Update
  It is now expected that Congress will not adjourn until Thanksgiving, and it could take that long to complete the fiscal year (FY) 2006 appropriations process. As the ASH Officers heard last week during visits with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and National Cancer Institute, NIH funding is in crisis. The House approved FY 2006 NIH funding of $28.5 billion, a $142.3 million or 0.5 percent increase over last year on June 24. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved $29.42 billion for NIH, a $1.05 billion or 3.7 percent increase. The full Senate has not yet acted on this bill.

• NIH Reauthorization Update
  On August 22, the House Energy and Commerce Committee released a second draft of legislation to reauthorize NIH. However, several other Committee issues have taken precedence over NIH reauthorization, pushing back consideration of this bill until late October at the earliest. More information on NIH Reauthorization is available online.

 2005 Advocacy Awardees Approved by ASH Executive Committee
At its September meeting, the ASH Executive Committee approved the Government Affairs Committee recommendations for the 2005 Advocacy Awards.

• 2005 ASH Award for Public Service to Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), for his vocal support of increased NIH funding and legislation that provides for federal funding of embryonic stem cell research on lines derived after August 9, 2001.
  
• 2005 ASH Award for Outstanding Service to Daniel Rosenblum, M.D., for his work to involve the Society in the ASH/Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Workshop on Clinical Endpoints in Acute Leukemia and longstanding support of ASH activities.

Update on Practice Issues
For the latest legislative and regulatory information on Medicare reimbursement, pay-for-performance initiatives, and news for practitioners, please review the September 2005 Practice Committee Update.

If you have questions, or need more information, please contact ASH Government Affairs Manager Jeff Coughlin at (202) 776-0544.