1. United States
2. Kan.
3. Letter

RFK Jr. has cancelled federal grants to the American Academy of Pediatrics, claiming the work they fund “no longer aligns with departmental priorities.” Those grants weren’t about ideology. They supported efforts to reduce sudden infant death, expand rural access to pediatric health care, and address children’s mental health. Ending funding for programs like these isn’t a neutral budget decision, it’s a values statement. It signals that evidence-based pediatric care, infant safety, and mental health are no longer considered priorities at the federal level. The American Academy of Pediatrics represents tens of thousands of doctors whose sole focus is keeping kids alive and healthy. Pulling support from that work doesn’t punish an institution; it puts families (especially rural and underserved ones) at greater risk. If preventing infant deaths and protecting children’s mental health no longer “align with departmental priorities,” then the public deserves a clear answer to one question: What does?