Restore public health funding for community protection

Deep cuts to funding for public health agencies by the Trump administration threaten to undermine the crucial work they do to protect communities across the country. The abrupt cancellation of over $11 billion in grants and the elimination of thousands of jobs at agencies like the CDC have severely impacted state and local health departments. This has forced them to lay off staff, scale back programs for disease prevention, outbreak response, vaccinations, and other essential services that safeguard public health. The cuts come at a precarious time, with the U.S. facing serious outbreaks like the worst measles epidemic in decades as well as rising threats from other preventable diseases. Adequate and consistent funding is critical for maintaining a strong public health infrastructure ready to quickly detect and contain health risks before they spiral out of control. However, the administration's draconian cuts have gutted this infrastructure, leaving communities more vulnerable to public health crises with diminished capacity to respond effectively. Public health is a quintessential function of government that protects the entire population through programs and services no individual can provide alone. Its work saves countless lives and reduces healthcare costs in the long run. Continuing down this path of defunding will inevitably lead to more widespread illness, higher mortality rates, and escalating treatment costs that could have been avoided. Restoring robust and stable funding for public health should be an urgent priority to safeguard the health security of all Americans.