House Appropriation Committee Approves Significant Increase in Federal Lupus Research and Education Funding

Late yesterday, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee voted to increase Fiscal Year 2027 funding for lupus programs at the Department of Health and Human Services, providing a total of $19 million for lupus programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Office of Minority Health (OMH).

This victory could not have been possible without the tireless efforts of lupus advocates across the country. In April, more than 350 advocates came to Washington, DC to meet with their elected officials during the National Lupus Advocacy Summit, while thousands more online contacted Congress urging them to increase funding for lupus research and awareness programs. Their advocacy made a difference!

The Lupus Foundation of America is grateful for the leadership of the Congressional Lupus Caucus and its co-chairs, Representatives Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) and Bill Keating (D-MA), who championed the funding increases in Congress. Thanks also go to House Appropriations Committee leaders, including Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK), Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL) for their continued bipartisan support.

What’s Next?

The legislation must still pass the full House and Senate before becoming law, and it will be extremely important that the lupus community continue to advocate for these programs as the legislative process moves forward. Therefore, please make sure you sign up to be an eAdvocate. As an eAdvocate, you will receive action alerts letting you know when your outreach to Congress can make the most difference and how you can advocate for people with lupus throughout the year.  

$181 Million To-date for Lupus Programs!

If signed into law, total federal funding for the National Lupus Patient Registry at the CDC will surpass $151 million since the Lupus Foundation of America and lupus advocates helped establish the program in 2003. This increased investment will strengthen efforts to:

• Advance research on who develops lupus and how the disease impacts patients
• Improve public and medical community awareness
• Support earlier diagnosis and treatment
• Expand self-management programs that improve quality of life

The National Lupus Training, Outreach, and Clinical Education Program at the Office of Minority Health (OMH) works to expand access to clinical trials and ensure that emerging therapies are evaluated across the lupus patient population. The OMH program has been leading the way in raising awareness of the importance of participating in clinical trials and has been helping to break down barriers to clinical trial participation. The FY27 funding will bring the Congressional investment in the program to $30 million.