House and Senate Completing the FY 2010 LHHS Appropriations Process

The House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee and full Appropriations Committee have passed FY 2010 LHHS appropriations. The Senate LHHS Subcommittee marked up FY 2010 appropriations on July 28, and the full Appropriations Committee is expected to vote this afternoon.

Both the House and Senate approved $3.229 million in funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Vision Health Initiative for FY 2010. Prevent Blindness America is proud of the 34% increase the Vision Health Initiative received under FY 2009 appropriations. The small increase for FY 2010 is not surprising given the current economic climate. We will continue to work hard to grow this important program as we seek to preserve sight and prevent blindness.

I would like to thank our grassroots advocates for sending over 1300 advocate emails to House and Senate Members on behalf of our FY 2010 appropriations request for the Vision Health Initiative. Thank you vision advocates!

Senate to take up FY 2010 LHHS Appropriations on July 28

The Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) Subcommittee is scheduled to take up FY 2010 appropriations on July 28.

Prevent Blindness America is seeking $4.5 million in FY 2010 for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Vision Health Initiative (VHI). The House LHHS Appropriations Committee approved funding for the VHI that fell short of the $4.5 million needed to sustain and expand efforts to address the growing public health threat of preventable vision loss among older Americans, low-income, and under-served populations. This level of funding would also increase support for eye disease surveillance and evaluation systems, to ensure our nation has much-needed epidemiological data regarding overall burden and high-risk populations, so we can formulate and evaluate strategies to prevent and reduce the economic and social costs associated with vision loss and eye diseases.

You can be a Voice for Vision and advocate for eye and vision research and programs! Go to:

https://secure2.convio.net/pba/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=166

House Labor, Health and Education Appropriations Vote Today

The House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to vote on FY 2010 LHHS Appropriations today. The LHHS Subcommittee proposed nearly flat funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Vision Health Initiative (VHI), a program that has been underfunded for the past three fiscal years.

Prevent Blindness America (PBA) requested $4.5 million for the VHI in FY 2010, and the House Appropriations Committee's allocation falls short of this request. The $4.5 million in funding would sustain and expand PBA's efforts to address the growing public health threat of preventable vision loss among older Americans, low-income, and under-served populations. It would also increase funding to support eye disease surveillance and evaluation systems, to ensure our nation has much-needed epidemiological data regarding overall burden and high-risk populations, so we can formulate and evaluate strategies to prevent and reduce the economic and social costs associated with vision loss and eye diseases.

Prevent Blindness America will focus its advocacy efforts on the Senate now as it begins to consider FY 2010 appropriations. For more information about our appropriations requests and to send a letter to your Senators, go to http://www.preventblindness.org/.

Health Care Reform Continues

On June 17, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee began its markup of the Affordable Health Choices Act. Prevent Blindness America and a number of affiliates have reached out to Committee members to help promote the inclusion of vision and eye health related items in this bill. The HELP Committee, which has already considered more than 200 amendments to the bill, resumed consideration of the legislation this week.

The House Tri-Committee bill is expected to be introduced on July 10. The Energy and Commerce Committee is set to begin markup on the bill on Monday, July 13 through Thursday, July 16. Prevent Blindness America has reviewed the Tri-Committee discussion draft released last month and looks forward to evaluating the the bill when it is introduced to ensure that eye and vision health are included in this health care reform piece.

For more information on the HELP Committee bill, go to http://help.senate.gov/index.html. For more information on the Tri-Committee bill, go to http://waysandmeans.house.gov/MoreInfo.asp?section=52. Information on the Senate Finance Committee bill will be available when it is introduced.

Prevent Blindness America's positions on health care reform may be found at http://www.preventblindness.net/site/PageServer?pagename=advocacy_Resources.

Be Safe This Fourth of July Holiday

Prevent Blindness America, the nation’s oldest eye health and safety organization, is urging the public to refrain from purchasing or using fireworks. Fireworks were involved in an estimated 7,000 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms in 2008 (2008 Fireworks Annual Report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission).

Unfortunately, more than 40 percent of all fireworks injuries were to children under the age of 15. In fact, sparklers accounted for the most injuries that required medical attention to children ages 4 and under. Some may be surprised to learn that sparklers were associated with the most number of injuries to both adults and children. According to the National Fire Protection Association, “safe and sane” fireworks caused more injuries than illegal fireworks, especially to preschool children.

The second most common injury from fireworks is to the eyes, including contusions and lacerations, debris in the eye and burns.

The best defense against children suffering from an eye injury or burn is to not let them play with fireworks. Protect yourself, your family and your friends by avoiding fireworks. Attend only authorized public fireworks displays conducted by licensed operators.

For more information about Prevent Blindness America's position on fireworks, go to: http://www.preventblindness.org/advocacy/fireworks.html

For more information on fireworks from the National Fire Protection Association, go to: http://tinyurl.com/o4mrcb.