Georgia Congressional Delegation Demands Answers on CDC Firings Amidst Agency Disarray

Strategic Insights -

Georgia's Democratic Congressional Delegation, led by Rep. Lucy McBath, is voicing concerns over the chaotic leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the tenure of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The delegation is seeking answers on the recent firings and re-hirings of CDC employees, including the wrongful termination of nearly half of those let go in a mass firing earlier this month.

Key Takeaways:

  • 1,760 HHS employees, including 1,300 CDC scientists, doctors, and health officials, received "reduction in force" notices in early August.
  • Nearly half of the 1,760 employees fired were terminated "by mistake" and subsequently re-hired by the CDC.
  • This is the second round of mass firings at the CDC under Secretary Kennedy's tenure, following the re-employment of 400 CDC employees in June who were responsible for tracking and preventing infectious diseases.
  • The CDC's workforce is now deeply demoralized, posing a significant threat to the United States and American people's safety from deadly diseases.
  • Rep. McBath and her colleagues expressed concern that Secretary Kennedy's actions are motivated by personal animus and a lack of understanding about the CDC's work, which is unacceptable for the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
  • The delegation has requested a response from Secretary Kennedy regarding the circumstances surrounding the firings and re-hirings.

Statistics:

  • 1,760: The number of HHS employees, including 1,300 CDC employees, who received "reduction in force" notices in early August.
  • 50%: The percentage of employees fired who were terminated "by mistake" and subsequently re-hired by the CDC.
  • 400: The number of re-employed CDC employees responsible for tracking and preventing infectious diseases in June.
  • 1,300: The number of CDC scientists, doctors, and health officials who received "reduction in force" notices in early August.

Sources:

  • Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06) press release
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website