MATSUI LEADS COLLEAGUES IN DEMANDING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RESTORE PUBLIC HEALTH GRANTS

WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07) led 77 of her colleagues, including every Democratic Representative of the California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota delegations in urging the Trump Administration to immediately restore public health grant funding to those states. This comes after the Administration terminated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants that support core public health infrastructure and disease prevention. 

“Reports have indicated the Administration intends to cut tens of millions in public health funding to California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota,” wrote the Members. “These cuts will unnecessarily hamstring our state and local public health departments and community organizations, putting our constituents’ health at risk. We urge you to restore this funding immediately.”

The funding cuts broadly target grants that support public health staffing, data modernization, and surveillance, as well as HIV and STI prevention programs, and health programs serving communities that have historically faced barriers to care. The Members warned these terminations would weaken states’ ability to detect, contain, and respond to outbreaks, which is especially reckless during the current active measles outbreak. They argued the cuts target the core infrastructure public health relies on.

They also argued the move fits a broader pattern: President Trump has repeatedly threatened to withhold federal support from Democratic led states and cities in moments of crisis, from social services to disaster relief. Now, they write, the Administration is again pulling back congressionally approved funds for political reasons, not public health needs.

The members demanded the following:

• A full list of terminated grants and grants under consideration to be cut in the coming weeks
• A rationale for why impacted grants are “inconsistent with agency priorities.”
• What the Department’s justification is for targeting grants only in California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota
• Whether the Department planning to rescind public health funding in additional states

“It is within your power to end this cycle of alarming actions to erode public health,” the Members concluded. “We strongly urge you to reverse these terminations, as the real-world consequences for the health and safety of all Americans is at stake.”

Representatives Robin Kelly (IL-02), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Nanette Barragan (CA-44), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Sean Casten (IL-06), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), and Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) co-led the letter. 

Full text of the letter is available HERE.

Congresswoman Matsui has long fought to strengthen the nation’s public health system, expand access to prevention and care, and ensure communities have the resources needed to respond quickly to outbreaks and emerging threats. Most recently, the Congresswoman reintroduced the Public Health Funding Restoration Act to restore funding to the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF), which is the nation’s first mandatory funding stream dedicated to improving our public health system. More information on the Congresswoman’s record on a broad range of health care issues can be found HERE.

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