What happens on Friday, November 17, 2023?
This Friday, November 17, is the day the short-term funding bill for all federal agencies is set to expire.
What does this mean?
The US Congress is creating the federal government’s budget through appropriation bills for the remainder of the 2024 federal fiscal year. These bills will ultimately determine the funding each government agency will receive. Federal agencies are at risk of funding cuts affecting national programs, including the National Limb Loss Resource Center (NLLRC) administered by the Amputee Coalition.
What is the NLLRC?
The National Limb Loss Resource Center provides direct services to those who undergo an amputation and those born with limb difference at no cost. Operating the NLLRC is a mission-centric part of the Amputee Coalition’s work.
What are the proposed funding cuts?
In an effort to decrease government expenditures, the House majority has proposed appropriations bills that include significant decreases across government programs, including in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies bill, which will dramatically cut the funding for the NLLRC by $2 million for 2024.
What has the Amputee Coalition done to protect funding to the NLLRC?
The Amputee Coalition maintains an active presence with members of Congress in Washington, DC, meeting with key figures involved in the appropriations process and our supporters. This is why Hill Day events and other advocacy opportunities are so important. Since learning about the proposed cuts, we have penned an advocacy letter to the Congress members, who are ultimately the decision-makers on government funding.
The Amputee Coalition understands the current political climate regarding spending, which is why we are requesting only to maintain the current NLLRC funding despite the increasing limb loss and limb difference population needing services and support.
How will these cuts affect me?
The proposed decrease in funding would dramatically reduce the ability of the Amputee Coalition to execute the programs funded under the NLLRC that directly support individuals living with limb loss or limb difference.
HOW CAN I HELP?
The Amputee Coalition is nothing without you! We exist to serve the limb loss and limb difference community. Please sign up for advocacy alerts here: Sign Up for our Advocacy Messages. Signing up for advocacy alerts allows us to keep you informed of any actions that need to be taken, now or in the future, to advance the mission of the Amputee Coalition.
If you have been served or supported by any Amputee Coalition program, please take this opportunity to share your story with us on AC Connect or email us at advocacy@amputee-coalition.org, our community discussion platform. Personal narratives and experiences of how our programs have impacted the lives of people living with limb loss or limb difference help us show the value of the NLLRC funding in action.