Restore Federal Funding for Critical Pediatric Health Programs

I am writing to urge you to take immediate action to restore nearly $12 million in federal grants that the Department of Health and Human Services terminated last week for the American Academy of Pediatrics. These cuts threaten essential programs that directly benefit children and families in your district and across the country. The terminated funding supports programs that save lives and prevent lifelong disabilities. These include training and technical assistance for pediatricians in rural communities, reduction of sudden unexpected infant death, prevention of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and universal newborn hearing screenings. Without these grants, the AAP reports that programs will end within weeks, staff will be laid off, and children nationwide will lose access to crucial health services. The AAP, which represents 67,000 pediatricians including primary care physicians and specialists, filed a lawsuit in US District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that HHS ended these seven grants in retaliation for the organization's public criticism of administration policies. The complaint describes targeted smears from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other senior officials attempting to discredit the Academy as one of the agency's most prominent critics on evidence-based vaccine policy. An HHS spokesperson stated the grants were canceled because they no longer align with the department's mission or priorities. However, detecting and preventing fatal and debilitating illnesses in children should always align with any health department's core mission. These are not political programs but evidence-based medical interventions that protect our most vulnerable citizens. Congress has the power of the purse and oversight authority over federal agencies. I urge you to use these tools to investigate this funding termination, hold HHS accountable for what appears to be retaliatory action against a major medical organization, and work to restore these critical grants immediately. Children's health should never be collateral damage in political disputes.