Advocacy - Comment Letter
Dear Chairs Aderholt and Capito and Ranking Members DeLauro and Baldwin:
The 219 undersigned members of the CDC Coalition and other supporting state, national and academic organizations urge you to include $11.581 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s programs in the FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Due to years of underfunding, many of CDC’s most effective prevention programs are not reaching all states and communities, hampering efforts to achieve the greatest possible health outcomes across the nation. In addition to advocating for a stronger public health system at all levels of government, our organizations will strongly oppose any efforts to cut funding or dismantle critical CDC centers or programs or attach damaging policy riders to the bill, all of which would threaten the health and wellbeing of communities in every state.
We are extremely concerned that several recent actions by the administration will significantly weaken CDC, the rest of the nation’s public health system and our efforts to combat many of the leading causes of death and disability in the nation. This includes the claw-back of more than
$11 billion in previously appropriated funding to our state and local health departments and an unworkable reorganization of CDC that eliminates thousands of important positions at the agency and critical programs to address chronic diseases, infectious diseases, injury and violence, occupational health and safety, healthy births, childhood disabilities, developmental disabilities, oral health and prevention of global health threats among others.
It is notable that nearly 80% of CDC’s domestic budget supports public health and prevention activities through state, tribal, local and territorial health organizations and agencies, national public health partners and academic institutions.
The CDC Coalition is a nonpartisan coalition of organizations committed to strengthening our nation’s public health infrastructure and prevention programs. Our mission is to ensure that health promotion and disease prevention are given top priority in federal funding, to support a funding level for CDC that enables it to carry out its prevention mission and to ensure an adequate translation of new research into effective state and local programs. Coalition member groups represent millions of public health workers, researchers, clinicians, educators, academic institutions, health policy advocates, patients and individuals and families served by CDC programs.
The agency plays a leading role in detecting and mitigating disease outbreaks in the U.S. and globally. CDC is currently monitoring and investigating the measles cases and outbreaks impacting 22 states that have resulted in at least 607 cases and two confirmed deaths, the H5 bird flu outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows that have now resulted in at least 70 recent human cases and one confirmed death, and other disease outbreaks in the U.S. and internationally. CDC also leads the nation’s efforts for pandemic flu and other public health preparedness activities and is the nation’s – and a global – expert resource and response center, coordinating communications and action and serving as the laboratory reference center. States, communities and international partners rely on CDC for accurate information, direction and resources to ensure they can prepare, respond and recover from a crisis or disease outbreak.
CDC is also faced with other unprecedented challenges and responsibilities, including chronic disease prevention. Chronic and mental health conditions account for 90% of the country’s $4.5 trillion in annual health care costs, and many of these are preventable with appropriate support. As repeated outbreaks and emergencies have demonstrated, chronic diseases and infectious diseases are inextricably linked. Good underlying health is a critical component to preventing severe infection and death from communicable diseases. CDC’s experts and programs work in a closely coordinated manner to protect all of our communities from these multifaceted threats.
CDC addresses the leading causes of death and disability by supporting this critical work across the country and in every state. No other federal agency or private entity can substitute for the expertise, technical assistance, data and research that CDC provides to jurisdiction and partners. CDC funds programs for strengthening public health infrastructure at all levels; public health emergency preparedness at all levels; strengthening and expanding the public health workforce; injury prevention; suicide prevention, including among the nation’s veterans; global health security; health promotion in schools and workplaces; the prevention of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, lung disease and other chronic diseases; tobacco prevention and control; nutrition and physical activity; immunizations; HIV, STI, tuberculosis and hepatitis prevention; prevention of vector-borne diseases; environmental health, including the prevention of childhood lead poisoning and implementing community-based climate and severe weather adaptation strategies; oral health; reducing health disparities; preventing maternal and infant mortality and improving birth outcomes; sickle cell disease data collection; preventing antimicrobial resistance; drug overdose prevention; improving the health and quality of life of individuals with disabilities; Alzheimer’s disease prevention and awareness; vision and eye health, public health research and health statistics and harmonizing clinical laboratory test results.
In addition to ensuring a strong public health infrastructure and protecting our communities from public health threats and emergencies, CDC programs are crucial to reducing health care costs.
Despite the progress CDC has made to meet these needs, the agency’s programs remain underfunded. We urge you to include at least $11.581 billion for CDC’s programs in the FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill and to reject any efforts to dismantle the agency or eliminate any of its essential public health programs.
Sincerely,
Academic Pediatric Association
Accessia Health
Advocates for Better Children’s Diets
Alabama Public Health Association
Allergy and Asthma Network (AAN)
Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy
Alpha-gal Alliance Action Fund
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP)
American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine
American Association on Health and Disability
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
American College of Chest Physicians
American College of Clinical Pharmacy
American College of Medical Toxicology
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American College of Physicians (ACP)
American College of Preventive Medicine
American Gastroenterological Association
American Heart Association
American Lung Association
American Mosquito Control Association
American Pediatric Society
American Physical Therapy Association
American Public Health Association
American School Health Association
American Society for Clinical Pathology
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
American Society for Microbiology
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
American Society of Hematology
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
American Statistical Association
Angels of Epilepsy Inc.
Arizona Public Health Association
Arthritis Foundation
Asian & Pacific Islander
American Health Forum
Association for Clinical and Translational Science
Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine
Association for Prevention Teaching and Research
Association of American Medical Colleges
Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs
Association of Minority Health Professions Schools
Association of Public Health Laboratories
Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions
Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Big Cities Health Coalition
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Carroll County General Health District, Ohio
Cavalier County Health District
Celiac Disease Foundation
Center for Lyme Action
Children's Environmental Health Network
Choose Healthy Life
Christian Council of Delmarva
Clinical Research Forum
Coalition for Clinical and Translational Science
Coalition of National Health Education Organizations
Colorado Tick-Borne Disease Awareness Association
Common Threads
Confluence Public Health Alliance
Connecticut Public Health Association
Connecticut Society of Public Health Education
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
COVID-19 Longhauler Advocacy Project
CTNNB1 Connect and Cure
Delaware Public Health Association
Dup15q Alliance
Emergency Nurses Association
Endocrine Society
Entomological Society of America
Epilepsies Action Network (EAN)
Epilepsy Alliance America
Epilepsy Foundation of America
Epitome of Epilepsy nonprofit Organization
Faces & Voices of Recovery
Families USA
Foundation for Healthy Generations
Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research
Foundation for the Advancement of Health Education
Futures Without Violence
GABA-A Alliance
Georgia Public Health Association
Global Liver Institute
GO2 for Lung Cancer Good Days
Green & Healthy Homes Initiative
HardyHandz Foundation, Columbia, SC
Hawaii Public Health Association
Head for the Cure
Health E Strategies
Healthy Teen Network
HIV Medicine Association
HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute
Hope Charities
Hope for HIE IC&RC
Illinois Pharmacists Association
Illinois Public Health Association
Illinois Rural Health Association
Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness
Indiana Public Health Association
Infectious Diseases Society of America
International WELL Building Institute
Johns Hopkins University & Medicine
Kansas Association of Local Health Departments
Kansas Public Health Association
Lakeshore Foundation
Louisiana One Health In Action
LymeTV
Lymphatic Education & Reserach Network
Maine Public Health Association
March of Dimes
MaryCatherine Jones Consulting, LLC
Maryland Association of County Health Officers (MACHO)
Massachusetts Health Officers Association
Massachusetts ME/CFS & FM Association
Medical Students for a Sustainable Future (MS4SF)
Minnesota Public Health Association
Mission MSA
Mississippi Public Health Association
Missouri Public Health Association
Montana Public Health Association
Morehouse School of Medicine
Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California
NASTAD
National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA)
National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems (NAPHSIS)
National Association of County and City Health Officials
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials
National Behavioral Health Association of Providers
National Bleeding Disorders Foundation
National Center for Healthy Housing
National Environmental Health Association
National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention
National League for Nursing
National Minority Health Association
National Network of Public Health Institutes
National REACH Coalition
National Safety Council
National Scleroderma Foundation
National Tuberculosis Coalition of America
NC Public Health Association
NEVADA / Nevada Association of Local Health Officials (NALHO)
Nevada Public Health Association
New Jersey Association of County and City Health Officials (NJACCHO)
New Jersey Public Health Association (NJPHA)
New Jersey State Mosquito Control Commission
New Mexico Public Health Association
New York State Public Health Association
NORSE Institute
North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
North Dakota Public Health Association
Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases
Northeastern Mosquito Control Association
Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials
Oregon Public Health Association
Patient Centered Care Advocacy Group
Pediatric Policy Council Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
Pennsylvania Public Health Association
Periodic Paralysis Association
Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation
Prevent Blindness
Prevent Blindness Georgia
Prevent Blindness Iowa
Prevent Blindness North Carolina
Prevent Blindness Wisconsin
Prevention Institute
Project Sleep
Public Health Association of Nebraska
Public Health Institute
Pulmonary Hypertension Association
Rare Epilepsy Network
Raynaud’s Association Foundation
Research!America
Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation
Safe States Alliance
SHAPE America - Society of Health and Physical Educators
Sleep Health and Wellness Center, California
Sleep Research Society
Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Society for Pediatric Research
Society for Public Health Education
Society for Vector Ecology
South Carolina Public Health Association
South Dakota Public Health Association
Southeastern Center of Excellence in Vector Borne Disease
Southern California Public Health Association
Spina Bifida Association
STXBP1 Foundation
Tennessee Public Health Association
The AIDS Institute
The HAP Foundation
The LCC Foundation
The Life Raft Group
The National Pancreas Foundation
The New York State of County Health Officials
The Rory Belle Foundation
Tia Hart Community Recovery Program
Tick-Borne Conditions United
Tourette Association of America
Trust for America's Health
Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine
University of California, San Francisco
Utah Public Health Association
Village Public Health
Virginia Public Health Association
wAIHA Warriors
Washington State Association of Local Public Health Officials
Washington State Public Health Association
Wisconsin Public Health Association