The U.S. House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee passed the fiscal year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services bill, sustaining critical federal funding for diabetes research and prevention programs. The bill reflects requests from diabetes advocates, researchers, clinicians and community members, including $2.33 billion for the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Among those advocating was Annette Hess, PhD, associate professor at 极乐禁地’s Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing. Hess served on an American Diabetes Association advocacy team, meeting with House members and helping ensure federal lawmakers understood the importance of continuing these programs.
“It was a quick but meaningful trip,” Hess said. “We met at the Capitol while Congress was in session to advocate for continued funding, specifically for diabetes research.”
Hess was among a handful of invited advocates and the sole representative from Alabama. Over two days, her team, comprising four fellow advocates and the federal director of advocacy, shared why diabetes research matters and offered personal stories that lawmakers could remember.
“This advocacy is personal for me because I’ve lived with type 1 diabetes for 53 years,” Hess said. “I wear an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor, technology that exists only because of federally funded research. That research keeps me healthy and able to live a normal life.”
Hess and the team met with Republican and Democratic representatives, stressing the importance of protecting federal funding for programs at the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They focused on initiatives such as the National Diabetes Prevention Program, the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity and the CDC Division of Diabetes Translation. Hess emphasized the impact on underserved populations and the critical role of insulin affordability.
“The need for continued funding is crucial,” Hess said. “It supports clinical trials and prevention programs that help 38 million Americans living with diabetes and 98 million with prediabetes. In Alabama alone, more than 614,000 adults are living with diabetes, and the state currently hosts 10 federally funded clinical trials.”
Cuts to these programs could have devastating consequences for prevention, treatment and research, Hess said. Federal funding ensures patients, especially in underserved communities, have access to lifesaving technology and research-driven treatments.
Hess described the outcome as “a praise to God, a testament to the impact advocates can have when they share their stories and expertise.”
In her diabetes clinics, Hess demonstrates the importance of compassionate care, often sharing her Capitol Hill experiences. She encourages students to “stand strong, make a difference and be courageous,” drawing inspiration from Joshua 1:9.
Hess is a nationally recognized leader in diabetes and obesity management in the Southeast. A family nurse practitioner-board certified and clinical nurse specialist, her work shows how personal experience, professional expertise and advocacy combine to create meaningful change in health care.