The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee convened a July 23 hearing titled “Are CDC's Priorities Restoring Public Trust and Improving the Health of the American People?” In a press release announcing the hearing, full committee chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) expressed concerns with the Center for Disease and Control Prevention. “Unfortunately, the agency’s current priorities — like climate change and social determinants of health — do not instill confidence that the agency is focused on its core mission of improving public health and preventing the spread of disease.”
During the hearing, several CDC center directors testified about their center’s contributions to improving public health and answered questions about how the priorities of their center align with the agency’s overall mission. They were questioned on rural health, suicide prevention, data modernization, transparency, and prevention for both chronic and infectious diseases.
Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) expressed concerns about the elimination of funding for the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. The AAMC opposes a proposed 22% cut to the CDC in the fiscal year 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, which would eliminate funding for the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control [refer to Washington Highlights, July 12].