Progress on physical activity funding - Research Updates

Melpomene Journal, Fall-Winter, 2002

On July 18, 2002, the US Senate Appropriations committee decided on funding levels for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. The committee recommended $50 million for nutrition, physical activity and obesity (an 80 percent increase), a 7.6 percent increase for chronic disease prevention and health promotion, level funding for the Preventive Health & Health Services Block Grant and a 42 percent decrease for the Youth Media Campaign on physical activity. The appropriations bill goes to the Senate for its approval.

The House Appropriations committee decides on funding levels on its own, and after the House passes the appropriations bill the Senate and the House will reconcile their versions before sending the bill to President Bush for his signature. The House Appropriations committee was expected to consider the bill immediately after Labor Day.

An interesting side-note: In the bill, the Senate included a recommendation that "the CDC urge its grantees to establish a position of statewide physical activity coordinator...." The committee suggests the position could be located in the state health department, the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports or in the state education department.

University of South Carolina Prevention Research Center Notes, Summer 2002