1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I understand that Republicans in Congress have just rolled out a new proposal that cuts fully one-sixth of the budget for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This, at the same time that the H5N1 “bird flu” is ripping across America, decimating bird flocks and even infecting a few humans and other mammals. Cutting public health spending at any time is stupid, but to do so when a highly transmissible, rapidly mutating, and extremely deadly flu has now been found in 920 counties across all 50 states? Shockingly and even breathtakingly irresponsible. Fully fund the CDC. Fully fund the Pandemic Preparedness Office. Fully fund public health. Otherwise we will all live—if we’re lucky—to regret it.