Us Congress House Bill HB2904

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/26/23
• Refer: 4/26/23
• Refer: 4/28/23

Caption

Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2023

Impact

If enacted, HB2904 would formally recognize racism as a public health crisis, aiming to standardize data collection and research efforts about the health impacts of structural racism. The bill mandates the Center to gather, analyze, and disseminate comprehensive data addressing health disparities resulting from racism, aiming to produce actionable knowledge that could inform public health strategies and policy changes across various sectors.

Summary

House Bill 2904, titled the 'Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2023', seeks to amend the Public Health Service Act to focus on public health research and initiatives aimed at addressing and eliminating structural racism and police violence. The bill proposes establishing a National Center on Antiracism and Health within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which would serve as a hub for conducting research and developing interventions related to racism’s impact on public health and wellbeing.

Contention

Notable points of contention surrounding this bill involve concerns over the allocation of federal resources and the potential pushback from entities opposed to discussions of structural racism within public policy. Supporters argue that the research and programs implemented by the proposed Center are essential for understanding and mitigating the negative public health outcomes associated with racism, while critics may contend that such initiatives could be perceived as politically motivated or divisive, leading to wider public discourse on the topic.