Why It Matters

The American Thoracic Society is lobbying to try to protect federal medical research funding and strengthen environmental regulations at a critical juncture. While Congress rejected proposed NIH budget cuts and increased funding by $415 million, the Trump administration’s revocation of the Clean Air Act’s scientific endangerment finding threatens EPA enforcement the ATS has historically championed.

With wildfire smoke projected to kill 70,000 Americans annually by 2050, the organization targets multiple pressure points: aligning with bipartisan congressional coalitions defending research funding, engaging in defensive lobbying against regulatory rollbacks, and positioning itself to influence active legislative debates over Medicare supplemental oxygen coverage through the SOAR Act.

By the Numbers

The American Thoracic Society has filed 156 lobbying disclosures since 2003, spending $9.73 million on federal advocacy over two decades. The organization employs a dual strategy: in-house efforts account for 79 disclosures and $9.1 million in spending since 2004, while external firm Health and Medicine Counsel LLC filed 77 disclosures from 2003 to 2025.

For the last quarter of 2025, ATS filed an in-house disclosure spending $50,000, utilizing sole lobbyist Gary Warren Ewart, who has represented the ATS exclusively for over 22 years across 79 total disclosures.

The Agenda

The American Thoracic Society is lobbying on four primary issues: clean air policy, federal health agency funding, tobacco regulation, and veterans’ research funding.

The society’s efforts align with active congressional debates. Lawmakers are examining wildfire smoke impacts and considering the Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act to improve air quality monitoring. Congress is actively debating the Elijah E. Cummings Family Asthma Act and the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform Act, which directly addresses Medicare reimbursement for supplemental oxygen—a specific ATS priority.

Broader Context

The ATS’s lobbying occurs amid significant congressional activity on its core priorities. Congress firmly rejected proposed 40 percent cuts to NIH funding, instead approving a $415 million increase, signaling strong bipartisan support for medical research funding.

Wildfire smoke presents both threat and opportunity. Recent research shows fine particulate matter caused nearly 164,000 deaths over 15 years, strengthening the scientific case for Clean Air Act advocacy.

However, the Trump administration revoked the 2009 endangerment finding underpinning U.S. climate and air quality regulations in February 2026, with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin calling it "the single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history."

Between The Lines

Congress is actively engaging with several ATS priorities. The Senate passed S.Res. 318 and its House companion H.Res. 568, linking climate change to worsening respiratory illness. The House Energy and Commerce Committee held hearings modernizing the Clean Air Act.

On research funding, a bipartisan coalition is defending NIH budgets. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Bernie Sanders led a letter from 34 senators opposing NIH funding freezes, while Republicans including Thom Tillis, Dan Sullivan, and Katie Britt also advocated for robust research funding.

Competitive Landscape

The ATS operates within a broader ecosystem of health advocacy organizations. The American Lung Association and Allergy & Asthma Network both endorsed the Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act, signaling parallel efforts on respiratory health.

On research funding, the ATS aligns with lawmakers from both parties who have publicly advocated against NIH funding cuts, suggesting the organization operates within a favorable congressional environment on this issue.

The Bottom Line

The American Thoracic Society spent $50,000 in the last quarter of 2025 lobbying on respiratory health priorities, including clean air enforcement, NIH and CDC funding, Medicare supplemental oxygen coverage, tobacco regulation, and veterans’ research funding. Gary Warren Ewart, the ATS’s sole in-house lobbyist for over two decades, represents the organization’s long-term strategic focus on niche health and environmental policy issues.

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