Stop the Dismantling of America’s Public Health System

I write with deep concern following the violent attack on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters on August 8, 2025, and the alarming policy decisions of Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Recognize the Attack on CDC as a National Security Threat On August 8, a gunman motivated by anti-vaccine conspiracy theories fired more than 180 rounds at CDC buildings in Atlanta. DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose was killed while defending CDC staff. This was not a random act of violence—it was the direct consequence of rhetoric that has vilified public health workers and weakened trust in the nation’s leading health agency. An attack on CDC is an attack on America’s health security. Confront Dangerous Policy Shifts That Weaken Our Defenses Since taking office, Secretary Kennedy has dismissed all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, canceled $500 million in mRNA vaccine contracts, halted CDC vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant women, fired thousands of staff essential to disease response, and repeatedly spread misinformation about vaccines and autism. These actions leave America vulnerable to preventable outbreaks and undermine decades of scientific progress. Demand Oversight Hearings on HHS Mismanagement Congress must immediately hold oversight hearings into Secretary Kennedy’s dismissal of expert advisors, his reversal of evidence-based vaccine policies, and his dismantling of CDC staffing. These decisions risk lives and must be publicly scrutinized before more damage is done. Speak Out to Reaffirm Science and Protect CDC Workers I urge you to use your platform to reject conspiracy-driven rhetoric and to affirm the CDC’s role as a nonpartisan, evidence-based institution. Federal health workers must know that Congress stands with them and values their safety, their expertise, and their service. Legislate to Safeguard Public Health Policy from Ideology Congress must act legislatively to ensure vaccine guidance and outbreak response decisions are anchored in evidence, not ideology. The deliberate dismantling of public health infrastructure places every American at risk. Honor Officer Rose by Defending Public Health The sacrifice of Officer David Rose is a reminder that protecting public health requires courage. I ask you to honor his service by ensuring CDC staff can work without fear and by restoring public confidence in science-based decision-making.