- Star Grassroots Advocates
- On February 14, the PAEA Government Relations team presented to PA students at George Washington University on best practices for grassroots advocacy. Special thanks to 2024 PAEA Student Health Policy Fellow Sydney Struck and Howard Straker, EdD, MPH, PA-C for coordinating this speaking opportunity.
- Advancing PAEA’s Advocacy Agenda
- Throughout recent weeks, a wave of federal actions and proposals have threatened the accessibility, affordability, and quality of PA programs nationwide. To learn more about the work PAEA is doing to protect PA education amid these federal policy shifts, check out this article.
- PAEA along with fellow members of the Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions (FASHP) published a statement opposing a reduced indirect cost rate for Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs that play a vital role in supporting research activities funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
- PAEA joined together with other higher education associations to submit a letter to the Acting Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, Craig Trainor, requesting that the Department rescind the Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) related to DEI activities. The DCL stated that many DEI activities at schools, colleges and universities, and other entities violate civil rights laws and could result in an investigation of the institution and impact the continued receipt of federal funding.
- Following his reappointment as the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), PAEA sent a letter to Thomas J. Engels to offer congratulations, share PAEA policy priorities, and request a meeting to discuss how we can collaborate to advance our shared goal of improving access to quality care for all Americans.
- Health Care News in Washington
- On February 10, a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted a nationwide temporary restraining order preventing the implementation of a 15% standard indirect cost rate for NIH-awarded grants.
- On February 13, The Senate voted to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the Health and Human Services Secretary.
- On February 21, the Senate passed its FY25 budget resolution followed by the House, which passed their resolution on February 25. With both resolutions passed, the House and Senate must now come together and agree on a final reconciliation bill.
- On February 21, 2025, the federal district court for Maryland blocked a majority of the actions implemented via the two January 2025 Executive Orders that seek to eliminate DEI initiatives in government agencies, educational institutions, and the private sector.
- On February 25, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted a preliminary injunction of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) freeze on federal grant disbursements that would threaten federal student loan access and grants supporting PA programs.
- On February 26, the American Federation of Teachers and the American Sociological Association sued the Department of Education over a Dear Colleague Letter, which stated that many DEI activities at schools, colleges and universities, and other entities violate civil rights laws and could result in an investigation of the institution and impact the continued receipt of federal funding. The lawsuit seeks a preliminary injunction to halt the enforcement and implementation of the Letter.
- On February 27, a federal judge in California granted a temporary restraining order against the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) over its role in the firing of probationary workers. Such a reduction in force could lead to the disruption of Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services operations. These departments are responsible for federal student aid processing and the administration of institutional grants that our faculty, programs and students rely on.
- Opportunities for Action
- Your voice matters in advocating for legislation that will positively impact the future of PA education and address healthcare disparities in underserved communities. Please contact your elected officials in Congress and urge them to support the Primary Care Team Education Centers Act.
- To decrease disparities in access to care and ensure there are enough providers to meet patient demand nationwide, reach out to your elected representatives today to advocate for increased funding for all Title VII health workforce development programs for fiscal year 2025.
- If you are committed to improving PA education as well as access to care for vulnerable patients, contact your elected representatives in Congress and tell them to support the Rural Health Preceptor Tax Fairness Act.
- As we face the impending expiration of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) mandatory authorization, we need your help to fight for solutions that safeguard against growing workforce shortages. Please contact your representatives today to urge them to preserve the current NHSC pipeline and field strength through a robust mandatory funding level.
- PA students deserve access to borrowing options that empower them to address growing health workforce shortages and provide quality patient care without sacrificing their financial health after graduation. Please contact your elected officials in Congress and urge them to oppose the elimination of Grad PLUS as part of any future legislative proposal or budget reconciliation process.
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