Congressional Appropriations Request Instructions

The 2025 legislative session is underway, with both the House and Senate engaged in the appropriations process. During this period, individuals can submit requests to their representatives and senators through official websites. One such request is a "report language request," which proposes specific language be included in reports sent to federal agencies, urging them to take particular actions. As supporters of the American Kratom Association (AKA), we seek your assistance in submitting these report language requests to your state's congressional members. The report language would address the FDA’s misuse of their Import Alert powers.The FDA has issued Import Alert 54-15, leading to the detention of kratom-containing products at U.S.borders. Additionally, Import Alert 66-41 targets unapproved new drugs, affecting certain kratom products.

Our proposed report language requests that the FDA:

1. Enforce Import Alert 54-15 only against identified kratom shipments found to contain harmful contaminants or adulterants.

2. Apply Import Alert 66-41 solely to manufacturers promoting kratom products with unapprovedtherapeutic claims.

By submitting these requests, you can advocate for balanced FDA regulations that protect consumers without unnecessarily restricting access to kratom. Targeted states for these submissions include those with members on the Labor, Health and Human Services,Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, as well as the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Subcommittee, in both the House and Senate.

House Ag/FDA Appropriations Subcommittee

MD, CA, MI, WA, LA, VA, IA, AL, FL, GA, ME, IL, OH

House Labor HHS Appropriations Subcommittee

AL, ID, MD, TN, MI, LA, GA, KS, AZ, NC, CT, CA, WI, FL, NJ

Senate Ag/FDA Appropriation Subcommittee○

ND, KY, ME, KS, MS, NE, OK, SD, NH, OR, WI, NM, MI, NY, GA

Senate Labor HHS Appropriations Subcommittee

MO, AL, TN, SC, KS, WV, LA, MS, FL, OK, WA, IL, RI, NH, OR, HI, WI, CT, WV

How to Submit an Appropriations Request Form

1. Identify your Congressional Members (representatives and senators):

https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

2. Conduct a search for the members’ appropriations form:

Search Terms: FY 2026 Appropriation form for Rep. [Name of Representative] or Sen. [Name of Senator]

3. Fill out the form using the following information:

Organization: American Kratom Association

Type: nonprofit

Address: 13575 Heathcote Blvd. Gainesville VA, 20155

 Website: americankratom.org

Point of Contact: Mac Haddow

Position Title: Senior Fellow on Public Policy

POC Email: support@americankratom.org

POC Phone: (540) 300-1605

Type of Appropriations Request: Report Language (NOT PROGRAMMATIC OR COMMUNITY FUNDING REQUEST)

Subcommittees: AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, and LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES (If Ag, FDA is not available)

Department FDA is Under: Department of Health and Human Services

Agency: FDA

Office: The Office of FDA Commissioner Brenner

Program funding amount: 0

If any questions about funding levels/previous funding: n/a or 0.

If any questions about support for program support: n/a or full support

Did you make a request to other Congressional Offices: Yes (list those you’ve submitted the request to) or Not Sure/No

Did you make a request with our congressional office last fiscal year: No

Justification for the Request: The FDA’s position on the safety of kratom, based on emerging literature and FDA safety studies, has changed dramatically over the past 18 months. The FDA’s Import Alerts are based on outdated and inaccurate evidence and data and serve now only to allow the FDA to inappropriately create a de-facto ban on kratom that is not justified on the science that is currently available and the report language calls for this to be lifted.

One sentence description: The FDA’s Import Alerts on Kratom are based on outdated and inaccurate evidence and data and serve now only to allow the FDA to inappropriately create a de-facto ban on kratom that is not justified on the science that is currently available and the report language calls for this to be lifted.

Title/ Program Name: Restricting Import Alerts that Limit Access to Safe Kratom Raw Materials

Link to report (copy & paste into exact language text box)  

REPORT LANGUAGE

How this language will help country/state/etc: Include your personal story and why this will positively impact the state and the representative's district as well as the people in it!

Why would the use of federal taxes be appropriate for this language request: As kratom becomes more thoroughly studied, regulated, and protected, it could play a vital role as a harm reduction tool in the opioid disuse epidemic in our country.