America’s Blood Centers (ABC) is pleased to share our updated 2026 Advocacy Agenda, which outlines our top federal policy priorities to support a safe, sustainable, and resilient blood supply for patients across the country.
This year’s update reflects minor refinements to last year’s agenda rather than a wholesale shift in priorities. Our core policy goals remain consistent, underscoring the continued relevance of these issues to community-based blood centers and the patients they serve.
What’s New—and What’s Not
The 2026 Federal Advocacy Agenda maintains the same focus areas members and partners will recognize from previous years.
The most notable changes to this year’s agenda reflect meaningful advocacy victories achieved over the past year. The overturning of the May 2024 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) final rule that would have subjected certain in vitro diagnostic products (IVDs), including tests used by blood center laboratories, to additional regulatory burdens. With that issue resolved, it no longer appears as an active advocacy priority.
The agenda also updates our long‑standing call to modernize the blood center licensure process to reflect new legislative momentum. In October 2025, Representatives Wied and Schrier introduced the bipartisan BLOOD Centers Act (Boosting Lifesaving Operations, Opening Donation Centers Act – H.R. 5791), which aims to strengthen the U.S. blood supply by streamlining the approval process for opening new blood donation sites. This legislation represents a major step forward on an issue of critical importance to community-based blood centers and the patients they serve.
As in past years, the agenda includes only federal policy issues with clear, actionable federal solutions. This approach ensures our advocacy efforts are targeted, credible, and aligned with Congress and federal agencies that have the authority to make meaningful change.
Moving to a Biennial Update Cycle
Beginning this year, ABC will transition from an annual advocacy agenda to an every-other-year update cycle to reflect both the stability of our federal priorities and the reality that many of the challenges facing the blood community require sustained, multi-year engagement with policymakers. A biennial cycle allows us to:
- Maintain consistent messaging with Congress and federal agencies;
- Reduce unnecessary revisions when priorities remain unchanged; and
- Focus more energy on advancing solutions rather than rewriting the roadmap
Importantly, this shift does not mean our advocacy efforts will slow or pause. ABC will continue to engage actively with policymakers year-round and will adjust tactics as needed in response to emerging issues.
To ensure alignment with the start of the next Congress, ABC will update the Federal Advocacy Agenda again next year, even under the new biennial approach. This will allow us to clearly communicate our priorities to newly elected and returning lawmakers at the outset of the congressional session. After that point, we anticipate resuming the every-other-year update schedule.
Maintaining Federal Advocacy Contacts
To truly achieve the objectives of our Advocacy Agenda, we need strong advocates within the blood centers working with us to help educate our representatives on the Hill and their staffers. To support this effort, we ask each ABC blood center to submit contact information (email and phone number) for at least two individuals who can serve as advocacy contacts.
These individuals are by no means the only ones at their centers who can, or should, engage in advocacy. They simply act as the main points of contact for ABC and help engage and mobilize others within their center around advocacy efforts. These designated contacts will help coordinate blood center site visits and support our advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill through direct outreach, as well as by participating in our annual Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., which takes place June 8-9.
Please help us make sure that we have up-to-date contacts within your center by sending the names and contact information for your two designated contacts to Lorenzo Rodriguez at lrodriguez@americasblood.org. We are always happy to answer any questions regarding the Federal Advocacy Contacts program.
Looking Ahead
The Federal Advocacy Agenda remains a foundational tool for ABC’s work on Capitol Hill and with the Administration. It reflects the collective expertise of our members and our shared commitment to ensuring patients have reliable access to lifesaving blood and blood products.
The updated Federal Advocacy Agenda is available here.