Protect Our Agencies: End Political Meddling Before It Endangers Lives

I write to express concern over the alarming political interference within our nation’s federal agencies—undermining their capacity to fulfill core missions, eroding public trust, and potentially weaponizing vital institutions. As of August 27, 2025, the newly confirmed Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Susan Monarez, was terminated after less than a month in office—reportedly for refusing to align with the political directions of the administration, notably those pushed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.. In response, at least four senior CDC officials, including the agency’s deputy director, chief medical officer, and leaders of immunization and infectious-disease divisions, resigned in protest. They cited worsening political meddling, censorship, and the weaponization of public health as central reasons for their departure. One resigned official captured the gravity of the situation succinctly: “I am not able to serve in this role any longer because of the ongoing weaponizing of public health.” Another warned that the action puts “millions of American lives at risk.” These departures have not only hollowed the agency’s leadership but also weakened its ability to respond effectively to public-health crises, further jeopardizing Americans’ health and safety. Experts warn that undermining scientific integrity threatens mission-critical functions like outbreak response, immunization guidance, and disease surveillance. At best, politicization hampers agency operations, delays response, and wastes taxpayer money on efforts that lack scientific validation. At worst, it transforms agencies into instruments of partisan policy, misinforming the public, prioritizing ideology over evidence, and eroding credibility. I urge Congress to take the following actions: Hold immediate oversight hearings—to investigate these disruptions, assess the damage to public health infrastructure, and bring transparency to the circumstances and motives behind these firings and resignations. Enact safeguards to protect scientific integrity, such as reinforcing civil-service protections for agency leaders and scientists, and codifying that dismissals must be justified by documented misconduct or incapacity—not for political dissent or policy disagreements. Require public reporting mechanisms for internal communications and decisions affecting health policy—ensuring transparency and providing early warning when agencies are being politically coerced. Ensure agency stability, particularly for institutions like the CDC, which play an essential role in keeping Americans safe from health crises. Our government depends on professional agencies driven by evidence, expertise, and mission—not political whim. When partisan interference overtakes scientific judgment, every American is placed at risk. I ask that you act swiftly to uphold the integrity, independence, and effectiveness of our federal institutions.