1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

The Trump administration’s decision to pull back over $1.1 billion in funding from state and local health departments (Reuters, March 26, 2025) is one of the most reckless, dangerous policy moves yet. Public health departments are on the front lines of everything from vaccine outreach and maternal care to infectious disease response. Gutting their budgets isn’t just irresponsible—it actively puts American lives at risk. I’m demanding that my elected officials speak out and act now to reverse this attack on our healthcare infrastructure. Let’s be clear: this isn’t belt-tightening. It’s sabotage. According to the National Association of County and City Health Officials, local health departments have already lost 20% of their workforce since 2008. These cuts will accelerate that trend and leave states unprepared for the next public health crisis. Public health experts, including those at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, warn that underfunded departments mean slower response to outbreaks, fewer screenings, and increased risk to vulnerable communities. Slashing funding during rising rates of STDs, maternal mortality, and post-COVID fallout is indefensible. And what’s it for? A political agenda that favors chaos over competence. These are not abstract numbers—they translate to fewer disease investigators, fewer prenatal care programs, and fewer community clinics. That means real suffering. It is a direct contradiction of the federal government’s obligation to protect the well-being of its citizens. Public health should never be treated as a partisan issue. Every state—red or blue—relies on public health departments to function. This is not about ideology. This is about whether we value human life and functioning society. If you are a public servant, now is the time to serve. Stand up for your constituents, demand oversight, and stop this political destruction of our healthcare safety net. Stop the dismantling of our public health systems. Reinstate funding immediately. Your silence will not be forgotten, and the consequences of inaction will be devastating.