Georgia's Democratic Congressional Delegation Demands Answers on CDC Firings

Strategic Insights -

Georgia's Democratic Congressional Delegation, led by Senator Jon Ossoff, is calling on HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to address the chaos and disruption at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including the recent firings and re-hirings of CDC employees. Earlier this month, 1,760 HHS employees, including 1,300 CDC scientists, doctors, and health officials, received "reduction in force" notices. In a stunning turn of events, nearly half of the employees fired last weekend were terminated "by mistake" and CDC moved to rehire them. This comes after 400 CDC employees responsible for tracking and preventing infectious disease were rehired after their termination in another round of mass firings in June. Senator Ossoff and the group expressed concern that the CDC is now in disarray and its workforce deeply demoralized, posing a threat to public health.

Key Takeaways:

  • 1,760 HHS employees, including 1,300 CDC scientists, doctors, and health officials, received "reduction in force" notices earlier this month.
  • Nearly half of the employees fired last weekend were terminated "by mistake" and CDC moved to rehire them.
  • 400 CDC employees responsible for tracking and preventing infectious disease were rehired after their termination in another round of mass firings in June.
  • The CDC's workforce is demoralized due to the repeated firings and rehirings.
  • Senator Ossoff and the group have expressed concern that the CDC is now in disarray, posing a threat to public health.
  • Senator Ossoff has been actively working to protect public health and the CDC, including defeating the Trump Administration's effort to defund the CDC in June.
  • Senator Ossoff has also demanded answers on several occasions regarding the administration's plan to gut the CDC budget and the reported shutdown of a critical Maternal Health data system.

Statistics:

  • 1,760 HHS employees received "reduction in force" notices earlier this month.
  • 1,300 CDC scientists, doctors, and health officials were included in the 1,760 HHS employees who received "reduction in force" notices.
  • Nearly 50% of the employees fired last weekend were terminated "by mistake" and CDC moved to rehire them.
  • 400 CDC employees were rehired after their termination in another round of mass firings in June.
  • Over 50% of the CDC budget is at risk of being gutted by the Trump Administration.

Sources:

  • "CDC employees tell ' NPR' they have been fired, only to be re-hired a week later." NPR
  • "Georgia's Democratic Congressional Delegation Demands Answers on CDC Firings." Senator Jon Ossoff's website