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| ASN Health and Nutrition Policy Newsletter |
Week of
February 25
, 2019
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| American Society for Nutrition Newsletter |
February 2019
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ASN News
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Input on Ensuring Trust in Nutrition Science: Deadline Extended
The stakeholder consultation period to provide input on the American Society for Nutrition (ASN)-commissioned Blue Ribbon Panel
report, "Best Practices in Nutrition Science to Earn and Keep the Public's Trust" has been extended to
Thursday, February 28, 2019
.
The
report shares recommendations for working collaboratively with various stakeholders across sectors and disciplines while maintaining transparency and scientific rigor to uphold trust.
There is also an accompanying commentary by ASN's President, Catherine J. Field, "Ensuring Trust in Nutrition Science: Request for Stakeholder Input
.
" A
ll interested stakeholders are encouraged to provide input on the recommendations and to help inform ASN's plans for implementation of the recommendations.
Please click here to learn more and to access the Stakeholder Consultation questions.
ASN Seeks Videos for Understanding Nutritional Science Competition
ASN wants to showcase videos highlighting your nutrition research! Enter the
Understanding Nutritional Science video competition
by creating a short video (2 minutes or less) that explains the important nutrition research you conduct and how it benefits public health. Open to ASN members only!
Deadline to enter is February 28, 2019. Prizes will be awarded! The first-place individual / team (of up to 5 individuals) wins one-year membership to ASN and free registration to Nutrition 2019! Learn more here: nutrition.org/contest
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| Congressional Action |
All of the Federal Government Open for Business
On February 14, the Senate, by a vote of 83-16 and the House by a vote of 300-128, overwhelmingly passed HJ Res 31
, the Consolidated Appropriations Act
to avoid another shutdown of the federal government. This Joint Resolution was a product of a conference committee to provide FY 2019 appropriations for the remaining unfunded departments and agencies, including the amount to fund border security in the Southern U.S. This measure included report language directing Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to provide further analysis before moving ahead with the proposal.
The President signed the bill on February 15 and then immediately declared a National Emergency to secure $8 billion from current FY 2018 appropriations for the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security programs. Sixteen states have sued the federal government to disallow this action of assuming the role of appropriator that many pundits say belongs to Congress according to the Constitution.
New Bill Advocates for Agriculture Research Integrity
Expressing continued concern about the proposed move of two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research institutions, the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), from the DC Capital region, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and 13 other members re-introduced H.R. 1221, the "Agriculture Research Integrity Act". This bill would prevent the relocation, politicization, and weakening of federal agriculture research agencies that was proposed by USDA last summer. Members seek a policy, cost analysis or economic justification for the move. The bill also stipulates that the authority to administer the agencies lies with the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics (REE) and that it may not be vested in another mission area or office within USDA.
Interest in FDA Oversight of CBD
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and eleven colleagues sent a
letter
to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, urging him to provide guidance on lawful pathways for food products containing hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) in interstate commerce.
Members of Congress Raise Concerns about Changes to ACA
Several bills have been introduced to reverse actions of the Trump administration to roll back the Affordable Care Act (ACA). One bill, H.R. 1010, by Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL), will reverse the administration's expansion of short-term plans that don't need to comply with the ACA's protections for pre-existing conditions. Another bill, H.R. 1143, by Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA)would require short-term plans to disclose what services are not covered.
Another measure, H.R. 987, introduced by Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), would restore ACA outreach and enrollment funding that the administration has slashed.The final bill, H.R. 986, from Rep. Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH) requires the administration to rescind October guidance on so-called Section 1332 waivers making it easier for states to make conservative changes to the ACA.
In a
letter
to
Administrator Seema Verma at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, expressed major concerns about proposed rule changes that will affect the 2020 health insurance marketplace. Members focused on ending re-enrollment, silver loading, and drug coverage, among other issues.
Implementation of the Farm Bill
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) will begin a series of hearings to ensure USDA is on track with implementation of the Farm Bill
and overseeing any agency reorganization efforts. Likewise, USDA plans to hold a listening session on February 26 to gather public input on programs in the 2018 Farm Bill, and Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue is scheduled to testify at the Senate Ag Committee hearing on February 28 about implementation efforts.
New Legislation to Support Breastfeeding Mothers
Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) along with five sponsors introduced
H.R.866,
the
Fairness for Breastfeeding Mothers Act of 2019.
This bill requires that certain public buildings that are open to the public and contain a public restroom provide a lactation room, other than a bathroom, that is hygienic and is available for use by members of the public for lactation. Specifications for the room were also included. The bill passed the House on suspension without objection, went to the Senate on February 7, and was referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Push to Have Only US Grown Food in School Meals
Representative John Garamendi (D-CA) reintroduced
H.R. 1066
, the American Food for American Schools Act, which requires schools to inform parents when students are served food that has been produced outside of the US. He has
safety concerns
about imported foods that have been recalled in the past.
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| Administrative Action |
Members of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Announced
USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the appointment of 20 nationally recognized experts to serve on the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC). The committee's work will kick off at a public meeting to be announced in the coming weeks. The DGAC will review scientific evidence on specific nutrition and health related topics and scientific issues that, for the first time, reflect both public comments and federal agency input. Throughout their deliberations, the public and other stakeholders will be encouraged to provide comments and feedback. Their review, along with public and agency comments, will help inform USDA and HHS' development of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Here is the list of members:
Jamy Ard, MD - Wake Forest University
Regan Bailey, PhD, MPH, RD - Purdue University, Department of Nutrition Science
Lydia Bazzano, MD, PhD - Tulane University
Carol Boushey, PhD, MPH, RD - University of Hawaii
Teresa Davis, PhD - Baylor College of Medicine, ASN Past President
Kathryn Dewey, PhD - University of California, Davis
Sharon Donovan, PhD, RD - University of Illinois, ASN Past President
Steven Heymsfield, MD - Louisiana State University
Ronald Kleinman, MD - Harvard University
Heather Leidy, PhD - University of Texas, ASN Board member
Richard Mattes, PhD, MPH, RD - Purdue University, ASN President-elect
Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, PhD, RD - University of North Carolina
Timothy Naimi, MD - Boston University
Rachel Novotny, PhD, RDN, LD - University of Hawaii
Joan Sabaté, DrPH, MD - Loma Linda University
Barbara Schneeman, PhD - University of California, Davis
Linda Snetselaar, PhD, RD - University of Iowa
Jamie Stang, PhD - University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology & Community Health
Elsie Taveras, MD, MPH - Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard Chan School of Public Health
Linda Van Horn, PhD, RDN, LD - Northwestern University
Call for Nominations for U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
The HHS Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is calling for nominations of individuals qualified to serve as members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The Task Force panel is comprised of national experts from the fields of preventive and primary care, such as internal and family medicine, behavioral health, nursing, obstetrics and gynecology, and more. They are responsible for making evidence-based recommendations about preventive services to improve the nation's health. The deadline for nominations is May 15th, with appointment beginning in January 2020.
FDA Commits to Stricter Dietary Supplement Regulation
In response to the discovery that seventeen foreign and domestic companies had been illegally selling products claiming to treat Alzheimer's disease, the FDA released an outline of new actions and policy priorities the agency has set for the future. The policies include more timely communication with the public, ensuring a flexible framework to evaluate product safety and promote innovation, working closely with industry partners, and encouraging feedback from the public and stakeholders.
NIH Announces New Leadership
Two new directors have been appointed to National Institutes of Health (NIH) positions. Dr. Noni H. Byrnes, Ph.D., has been named director of the Center for Scientific Review (CSR). She has received high accolades from the current NIH Director, Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., who is confident that Byrnes will "lead CSR through the next era of scientific discovery". Heather Rieff, Ph.D., will be the Director of the Office of Scientific Program & Policy Analysis (OSPPA) within the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). She brings valuable experience from her years as a Health Science Policy Analyst for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), which will support her function as the primary science policy advisor to the NIDDK.
SNAP Updates
Due to the 35-day long partial government shutdown, February Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were released in January because of funding constraints, putting millions of Americans at risk of running out of benefits before the next issuance. Most U.S. states and territories now plan to release March SNAP benefits early to minimize the gap between payments for low-income households. Other states have returned to normal payment schedules, while several others will continue the schedule acceleration for April benefits. In other SNAP-related news, the USDA is working on a regulation to reduce the number of people automatically considered for SNAP benefits because they receive welfare assistance. This proposal would likely reduce the number of SNAP participants, in addition to the proposal imposing work requirements on able-bodied adults without dependents.
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| National Initiatives |
School Breakfast Program Increases Access to Nutritious Meals
The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) released the annual School Breakfast Scorecard for the 2017-2018 school year, which shows that more low-income children are receiving a healthy school breakfast than ever before. Four million more children received school breakfast on an average day compared to ten years ago. However, the growth was at a slower rate than previous years, indicating that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure all children are provided with adequate nutrition.
International Search Underway for Next CEO of AAAS
The CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Rush D. Holt, has announced his plan to retire in the fall of 2019. He has led the AAAS in launching key initiatives to make scientific expertise more accessible, increasing individual and affiliate membership, and promoting the mission of advancing science for the benefit of all people. The AAAS will be conducting an international search for Holt's successor as chief executive officer.
Innovative Fruit & Vegetable Marketing Targets Millennials
Wisconsin SNAP-Ed's FNV
(Fruit and Vegetable) Program promotes healthy eating on billboards, buses, and social media by tailoring messages to millennials (ages 18-34). Using "geotargeting", digital ads are delivered to computers and mobile devices when the user is close to a Farmers Market that accepts SNAP. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service has partnered with the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill to develop an evaluation plan to measure the campaign's impact.
Medicaid Work Requirement Opposition
A proposal that would impose work requirements on some Medicaid recipients in Kentucky was blocked by a federal judge, but approved by the Trump Administration in November. The rule has been met with opposition, with critics claiming it fails to account for the detrimental effect it would have on Medicaid beneficiaries. Judge James Boasberg has scheduled oral argument for March 14 to reconsider the case, and another similar case in Arkansas.
New Report on Policies to Control Health Costs
- leverage the connection between health and learning;
- promote healthy living and connectedness through the built environment;
- foster healthy behaviors;
- support healthy and affordable housing; and
- create economic opportunities.
The Pew Charitable Trust also released new tools to help undergird evidence-based policymaking. Although the resources are targeted to government staff, they provide researchers and understanding of what evidence is useful for program assessment, budget development, implementation oversight and outcome monitoring, and targeted evaluation.
Connecticut pushes taxes on vaping, alcohol and soda.
As part of a budget plan , Governor Ned Lamont from Connecticut includes what are called "sin taxes" to raise revenue from purchases of soda, alcohol, and vape equipment. These taxes would also encourage a shift in consumer behavior.
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Meetings
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Why Do We Study Non-Human Primates and How Is This Research Regulated webinar
On Tuesday, February 26, 2019 from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. ET, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) will host a webinar "Why Do We Study Non-Human Primates and How is This Research Regulated".
For decades, research with nonhuman primates has advanced our understanding of various medical diseases and disorders, as well as our general knowledge about how the human body functions. At all stages of the scientific pipeline, research with nonhuman primates is tightly regulated. Presenters will highlight the importance of nonhuman primates as an animal model, the breakthroughs its research has afforded, and the current policies that are in place to ensure animal welfare and safety.
FASEB Excellence in Science Awards
'A Health Equity Approach to Obesity Efforts' Workshop
The Roundtable on Obesity Solutions of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Food and Nutrition Board will host a workshop to
"... explore the history of health equity issues in demographic groups who have above-average obesity risk and consider principles and approaches to addressing these issues as part of obesity prevention and treatment efforts. The workshop will also feature presentations that address current policies and practices that perpetuate health inequities and advance health equity ..." Attend on April 1, 2019 either in person in Washington, DC, or via live webcast.
Register here.
Meeting Webcast: The Secretary's Advisory Committee for Healthy People 2030
On F
ebruary 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.,
register
for the next meeting of the Secretary's Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2030 (Committee). The Committee will continue its deliberations regarding the Nation's health promotion and disease prevention objectives and develop recommendations regarding the proposed Healthy People 2030 objectives.
Book Launch - Agriculture for Improved Nutrition: Seizing the Momentum
Come join the book launch celebration of Agriculture for Improved Nutrition: Seizing the Momentum, co-edited by Shenggen Fan, Sivan Yosef, and Rajul Pandya-Lorch, on February 28 from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m. in Washington, DC. This volume reviews the latest evidence, intervention results, and recent national policy experiences that chronicle the improving relationship between agriculture and nutrition. There will be a panel of experts from the field to speak about programming design, the obesity epidemic, and global barriers to linking agriculture and nutrition. Sign up for this free event here.
IFPRI's "Reducing Food Loss and Waste - Making it Personal"
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is hosting a free event on March 12 from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. in Washington, DC to learn from leaders in the field about how to address food waste. Discover innovative solutions and share perspectives on how to take them to scale with like-minded individuals. Breakfast will be provided at 9:00 am. Register for the in-person event or watch via webcast.
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Funding Opportunities
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USDA 2019 Class of the E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship Program
The USDA has invited faculty and staff in Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) to apply for the 2019 Class of the E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship Program. Fellows will learn about opportunities at USDA and other federal agencies that are available to their institutions and students. Learn more about the fellowship
here
. The application deadline is March 20.
FFAR Seeding Solutions Funding Opportunity
Submit a pre-proposal to the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) for a
Seeding Solutions 2019
grant. This opportunity will fund a project with potential for significant agricultural advancements related to one of FFAR's six
Challenge Areas
. It is encouraged to speak with the
Scientific Program Director
prior to submitting the pre-proposal on March 1. Request for applications will be available soon on the FFAR website.
Biomedical Research Student Essay Contest
The Lasker Foundation has announced its 2019 Student Essay Contest, which will focus on education strategies to increase interest in biomedical sciences among young men and women. First-place will receive $10,000 and an expense-paid trip to New York City to meet the 2019 Lasker Award winners on September 20. Second and third place will receive $5000 and $2500, respectively. Visit the link for eligibility, guidelines, and evaluation criteria. The submission deadline is April 11.
American College of Preventive Medicine Request for Proposals
Now through March 19 at 5:00 p.m., health care organizations are invited to apply for three available grants to develop innovative strategies to "identify prediabetes and refer high-risk African American and Hispanic women to a CDC-recognized diabetes prevention program". These grants are offered by the American College of Preventive medicine in collaboration with the American Medical Association and Black Women's Health Imperative. Learn more and apply here.
PHRASES Fellows Program
The de Beaumont Foundation and Aspen Institute have launched the PHRASES: Public Health Reach Across Sectors Fellows program to help public health professionals develop communication skills to improve collaboration across sectors, such as education, health systems, and business. Applicants must be an active or previously active public health professional, or be working closely with a state or local health department to improve public health. The deadline is
February 28th.
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International
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WHO Calls for Data on Effectiveness of Nutrition Labeling Policies
In 2018, the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development (NHD) established the WHO Nutrition Guidance Expert Advisory Group (NUGAG) Subgroup on Policy Actions to provide evidence-based guidance on effective nutrition policy measures. This group is now seeking data on the effectiveness of policies on nutrition labeling in order to formulate guidelines to promote healthy diets and good nutrition. It is part of a global nutrition movement, also promoted by the UN General Assembly Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016-2025). Submit data online now.
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