Letter in Support of FY 2027 Funding for CDC

Dear Chairs Aderholt and Capito, and Ranking Members DeLauro and Baldwin:

The 165 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 2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. We are grateful for your efforts to pass a final FY 2026 funding bill that supports CDC programs and funding, rejects extreme cuts, and rejects the dismantling of key programs and centers at the agency. Already, 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 in the U.S. We ask that you once again work in a bipartisan manner this year to fund the agency and its many programs that protect the public from health threats and prevent disease and disability. We also urge you to conduct congressional oversight related to any proposed agency and program reorganizations, maintain protections in the bill that ensure funding is disbursed on time and for intended programs and grants, maintain staffing to meet the agency’s statutory requirements, and reject controversial policy riders that negatively impact public health.

We continue to be alarmed by the administration’s ongoing efforts to cancel approved CDC funding for programs to strengthen state and local public health infrastructure, HIV/AIDS prevention, protect the public from environmental health threats, and reduce the burden of chronic diseases. While some of these funding cancellations have been reversed, the administration has on several occasions threatened to revoke funding that states, local governments and community-based organizations rely upon to improve health across the nation. pressing forward with others that are critical to supporting key programs at state, local, tribal and territorial health departments and other community-based programs. Notably, 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 that have impacted 32 states, resulting in at least 1478 confirmed cases, and is on alert for 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, expertise 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 closely coordinate 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 jurisdictions 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; drowning prevention; 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 in addressing 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

2027 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.

Please contact Don Hoppert at donald.hoppert@apha.org or 202-777-2514 with any questions regarding our request.

Sincerely,

Academic Pediatric Association

Alaska Public Health Association

Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM)

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 Pharmacy

American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges

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 Osteopathic Family Physicians

American College of Physicians

American College of Preventive Medicine

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

American Heart Association

American Lung Association

American Pediatric Society

American Public Health Association

American Society for Microbiology

American Society for Reproductive Medicine

American Society of Hematology

American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

American Statistical Association

American Thoracic Society

Arizona Public Health Association

Arthritis Foundation

Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF)

Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine

Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)

Association of American Medical Colleges

Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs

Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs

Association of Ohio Health Commissioners

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

Center for Lyme Action

Center for Science in the Public Interest

Children’s Environmental Health Network

City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy

Color of Gastrointestinal Illnesses

Connecticut Public Health Association

Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists

Defend Public Health

Delaware Academy of Medicine & Public Health

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

Endocrine Society

Entomological Society of America

Epilepsy Foundation of America

Farmington Valley Health District

Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences

Fight Colorectal Cancer

Florida Public Health Association

Foundation for Healthy Generations

Futures Without Violence

Georgia Mosquito Control Association

Georgia Public Health Association

Gerontological Society of America

Global Liver Institute

Green & Healthy Homes Initiative

Health by Design

Health Care Without Harm

Health Resources in Action

Healthy Places by Design

Healthy Teen Network

HealthyWomen

Hepatitis B Foundation

HIV Medicine Association

HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute

I am Health Education

IC&RC

Illinois Public Health Association

Indiana Public Health Association

Infectious Diseases Society of America

International WELL Building Institute

Iowa Public Health Association

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine

Kansas Association of Local Health Departments

Kansas Public Health Association

Lakeshore Foundation

Louisiana Public Health Association (LPHA)

Lupus Foundation of America

Maine Public Health Association

March of Dimes

Maryland Association of County Health Officers

Massachusetts Public Health Alliance

Minnesota Public Health Association

Mississippi Public Health Association

Missouri Public Health Association

Montana Public Health Association

NASTAD

National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems

National Association of County & City Health Officials

National Association of Local Boards of Health

National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials

National Center for Healthy Housing

National Coalition of STD Directors

National Consumers League

National Environmental Health Association

National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention

National League for Nursing

National Multiple Sclerosis Society

National Network of Public Health Institutes

National Recreation and Park Association

NC Public Health Association

Ness County Health Department

Nevada Public Health Association

New Hampshire Public Health Association

New Jersey Association of County and City Health Officials (NJACCHO)

New Jersey Public Health Association (NJPHA)

New Mexico Public Health Association

New York State Public Health Assocation

NMAC

Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases

Ogle County Health Department

Oklahoma City-County Health Department

Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials

OUCH-Int’l (Oncologists United for Climate and Health)

Parkinson’s Foundation

Pediatric Policy Council

Pennsylvania Public Health Association

Physicians for Social Responsibility

Prevent Blindness

Prevention Institute

Public Health Association of Nebraska

Public Health Foundation

Public Health Institute

Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R)

Research!America

Safe States Alliance

SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators

Smoke Free St Joe (Indiana County Coalition)

Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America

Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Society for Pediatric Research

Society for Public Health Education

Society of Behavioral Medicine

South Carolina Public Health Association

South Dakota Public Health Association

Southeastern Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases

Southern California Public Health Association

Tennessee Public Health Association

Texas Association of City & County Health Officials

Tourette Association of America

Trust for America’s Health

UsAgainstAlzheimer’s

Utah Public Health Association

Vaccinate Your Family

Vermont Public Health Association

Washington State Association of Local Public Health Officials

Washington State Public Health Association

WellLink Health Alliance

Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards

Wisconsin Public Health Association

Wyoming Public Health Association

YMCA of the USA

cc: The Honorable Tom Cole

The Honorable Susan Collins

The Honorable Patty Murray

Members of the House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittees