1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

The restructuring and job cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are deeply concerning and will undermine the agency's ability to fulfill its core mission of protecting public health. Slashing 20,000 jobs and consolidating 28 divisions into just 15 risks creating dysfunction, inefficiency, and lapses in oversight that could lead to wasteful spending and diminished services down the line. The reduction of 3,500 FDA employees, 2,400 at the CDC, 1,200 at NIH, and 300 at CMS will hamstring these critical agencies' ability to properly review drugs and medical devices, monitor and respond to disease outbreaks, advance biomedical research, and ensure Medicare and Medicaid operate smoothly. Administrative staff cuts will further strain operations. HHS plays a vital role in our nation's public health infrastructure. Dismantling it to this degree jeopardizes our preparedness for health emergencies and the government's ability to safeguard the health and wellbeing of all Americans. I urge you to reconsider these drastic cuts and reorganization, which run counter to improving our nation's health outcomes and controlling costs. Robust funding and staffing of HHS agencies is essential to an effective public health system that prioritizes people over profits.