The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has led the world in combating disease since its foundation in 1946. As a Georgian, I have always been proud that our state is home to the world’s preeminent health agency. I value the work of every single public health official, whether they’re scientists, doctors, or administrative professionals. Every single public health official wakes up every morning to keep all of us safe from harm’s way.

But this year has been incredibly challenging for the CDC community. The Administration has torn apart the CDC time and time again, with reckless and chaotic firings.  I know times are dark right now, but we cannot give in to those who are trying to weaponize despair. We know that this fight is far from over.

You will always have a partner in me in this work. So while I’ve compiled this webpage to share my efforts so far to elevate the crucial work at CDC, you have my commitment to continue getting into good trouble on behalf of CDC and the countless members of our human family who benefit from CDC.

Keep the faith, and keep looking up.

Senator Warnock

PS Click here to watch a video where I addressed thousands of CDC workers at a virtual panel on October 15, 2025.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Senator Warnock’s Leadership on CDC

Supporting CDC Employees during the 2025 government shutdown

• On October 15, 2025, I hosted a CDC Roundtable with representatives from the American Federal Government Employees, Fired but Fighting, and CDC senior staff to discuss the Trump Administration’s treatment of CDC workers and need for Congressional oversight of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). More than 1,000 CDCers joined the call.

• On October 15, 2025, after a leaked White House draft memo suggested denying furloughed employees back pay, I joined my colleagues in requesting Office of Management and Budget Director Vought to affirm that furloughed employees will indeed receive back pay, as is required by law. To view the full letter, you may visit here: https://www.kaine.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/letter_to_omb_re_furlough_back_pay.pdf.

• On October 20, 2025, I joined my colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary Kennedy expressing outrage at the massive reduction-in-force (RIF) of the HHS workforce, including the reckless RIF of nearly 1,300 CDC employees on October 10^th.  HHS’s reinstatement of 700 employees on October 11 only further exemplified the chaos and thoughtlessness that defined the dismissals to begin with and does not adequately address the harm to the public health workforce under Secretary Kennedy’s watch. To view the full letter, you may visit here: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/251020_letter_to_secretary_kennedy_re_october_rifs.pdf

• On October 20, 2025, I joined Senator Ossoff in sending a letter to Secretary Kennedy of Health and Human Services demanding answers about the reductions in force (RIFs) at the CDC during the government shutdown. To view the full letter, you may do so here: https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Letter-to-Sec.-Kennedy-Oct.-10-CDC-RIFs.pdf.

• On October 23, 2025, CDC employees and contractors were among those on my mind when I embraced multiple measures to seek restoration of pay for workers affected by the government shutdown. For example, I voted to advance S. 3012, the Shutdown Fairness Act, which would pay all excepted federal employees, Servicemembers, and federal contractors during the shutdown. I also cosponsored S. 3039, the True Shutdown Fairness Act, which aimed to prevent RIFs of federal employees during shutdowns and sought to address gaps in S. 3012 by extending protection of pay to furloughed federal employees. That same day, I also cosponsored S. 3043, the Military and Federal Employee Act, which would provide a one-time appropriation to pay federal employees, contractors, and Servicemembers who missed pay due to the government shutdown.

Conducting oversight of HHS’s actions to gut CDC

• On February 19, 2025, I joined my colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary Kennedy regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to fire thousands of HHS workers, including 1,300 CDC probationary workers. To read the full letter, you may visit here: https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/letter_to_hhs_on_staffing_cutspdf.pdf.

• On March 12, 2025, I sent a letter to CDC Acting Director Susan Monarez inquiring about the status of the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), which plays a crucial role in collecting data on maternal and infant health outcomes. To view the full letter, you may visit here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/prams/.

• On March 14, 2025, I led a letter to demand answers from Secretary Kennedy on the indiscriminate firings of members of the CDC workforce. This letter to Secretary Kennedy also highlights the CDC’s long history of bolstering public health preparedness and protecting Americans from public health threats. To read the full letter, you may visit here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-reverend-warnock-leads-effort-to-demand-answers-on-indiscriminate-cdc-firings/.

• On March 21, 2025, I sent a letter to President Trump urging his administration to reconsider plans to eliminate the CDC’s Division of HIV Prevention within the National Center of HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention (NCHHSTP). To view the full letter, you may visit here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/letter-to-president-trump-on-hiv-prevention-division-3-21-25/.

• On April 1, 2025, I joined my colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary Kennedy, requesting additional information about the termination of 20,000 full-time staff and organizational restructuring at HHS. To read the full letter, you may visit here: https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/040125_warner_wyden_sanders_letter_to_rfk_on_hhs_firings.pdf.

• On April 15, 2025, I spoke at a rally organized by current and former CDC employees to support Georgians who have been callously fired from the public health institution. To view my remarks at this rally, you may visit here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/icymi-senator-reverend-warnock-rallies-behind-georgians-callously-fired-from-life-saving-work-at-the-cdc/

• On May 6, 2025, I questioned HHS Deputy Secretary nominee Jim O’Neill on the unjust firings of CDC workers and demanded answers to previous correspondence that I’ve sent to Secretary Kennedy. To view the full exchange, you may visit here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/watch-senator-reverend-warnock-highlights-wrongly-terminated-cdc-employees-demands-accountability-from-senior-hhs-nominee/. I also submitted questions for the record regarding specific actions that HHS took to harm CDC, which you can read here (starting on page 41): https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/responses_to_questions_for_the_record_to_james_oneill1.pdf

• On May 7, 2025, I joined my colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary Kennedy demanding answers on the elimination of the CDC National Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Surveillance System. To view the full letter, you may visit here: https://www.wyden.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/rfk_jroncdcivfteam.pdf.

• On May 8, 2025, I sent a letter to HHS Secretary Kennedy requesting a meeting to discuss workforce reductions at CDC ahead of Secretary Kennedy’s hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). To read the full letter, you may visit here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/05.08.2025-Warnock-Ossoff-Letter-to-RFK-asking-for-CDC-meeting.pdf.

• On July 31, 2025, I pressed Gus Chiarello, the nominee for Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), on the cancellation of CDC contracts and budget for chronic disease prevention programs. To watch the full exchange, you may visit here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_I41OGWD-0

• I led a letter to demand answers from CDC Acting Director O’Neill on the massive firing of public health experts and scientists hired under the Title 42 Service Fellowship Authority. To read the full letter, you may visit here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/09-11-2025-warnock-letter-to-cdc-acting-director-oneill-about-title-42-employees/.

• On September 16, 2025, I cosponsored Senator Warner’s Protect America’s Workforce Act, which would nullify President Trump’s executive order revoking collective bargaining rights for over 80% of the federal workforce.

Speaking out against the firing of vaccine officials  

• On June 12, 2025, I pressed Secretary Kennedy about the firing of Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) members in a letter signed by 21 of my Senate colleagues and demanded that ACIP members be reinstated. To read this letter, you may visit here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-demands-transparency-from-hhs-secretary-kennedy-after-abruptly-firing-scientists-from-cdcs-vaccine-safety-board/.

• On July 28, 2025, I also cosponsored S. 2483, the Validating and Advancing Clinical Consensus through Independent Nonpartisan Evaluation (VACCINE) Act, which would prevent termination of ACIP members without cause and immediately reappoint members who were fired by Secretary Kennedy.

Responding to the August attack at the CDC

• On August 9, 2025, I released a statement about the shooting at the CDC’s Atlanta campus and called then CDC Director Dr. Monarez to offer her support. You may read the statement here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/statement-on-todays-shooting-targeting-the-cdc/

• On September 4, 2025, I pressed Secretary Kennedy about the lack of his leadership in the aftermath of the CDC Atlanta campus shooting on August 8, 2025, the firing of Susan Monarez (former CDC Director), and his gross mismanagement of our nation’s public health during the Senate Finance Committee hearing. If you are interested, you can watch this exchange here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-calls-on-president-trump-to-fire-secretary-kennedy-following-turmoil-at-cdc/.

• On September 11, 2025, I also sent Acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill a letter about the need to invest in security measures at the CDC headquarters following the August shooting. The letter also requested that Mr. O’Neill take measures to keep employees safe, provide mental health support, work with relevant agencies to remove threatening or targeted materials about CDC workers, pause terminations, and collaborate with the CDC’s union. You can read that letter here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warnock-ossoff-press-cdc-leadership-for-update-on-security-measures-at-atlanta-headquarters/.

Leading the opposition to Secretary Kennedy

• On January 29, 2025, I pressed Secretary Kennedy during his confirmation hearing at the Senate Finance Committee regarding his comments and long-held beliefs about the CDC. To watch the full exchange, you may visit here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-reverend-warnock-to-vote-against-kennedy-leading-americas-health-care-system-following-concerning-nomination-hearing/

• On February 12, 2025, I gave an hour-long Senate floor speech opposing the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, highlighting his lack of qualifications and conspiracy theories about the Georgia-based CDC. To watch the full speech, you may visit here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/watch-ahead-of-potential-workforce-cuts-senator-reverend-warnock-spotlights-importance-of-the-cdc-in-speech-opposing-rfk-nomination-to-lead-hhs/.

• On September 4, 2025, I joined my colleagues in introducing S. Res. 374, a resolution calling on Secretary Kennedy to resign. You can read the bill text here: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-resolution/374/cosponsors?s=4&r=1&q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22s+res+374%22%7D.

Pushing for CDC Appropriations

• Since 2021, I have been proud to  lead an appropriations letter requesting strong funding for CDC, which relies on continued and robust federal funding to support education and research into various diseases.
  • See 2021 letter
  • See 2022 letter
  • See 2023 letter
  • See 2024 letter

• On May 29, 2025, I led 29 Senate colleagues in urging Senate leadership to work in a bipartisan manner to fully fund the CDC at or near $9.683 billion for Fiscal Year 2026. To read the appropriations letter, you may visit here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-reverend-warnock-leads-fight-for-colleagues-urge-full-cdc-funding/.

Helpful Resources for CDC Workforce

To the public servants, who quietly and nobly do the work of the people day by day, please know I appreciate you and will continue to work to support you. If you are a federal worker affected by the Trump administration’s actions, please visit my website for important resources and guidance here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/federalworkers/.I stand firm in my belief that Georgia’s federal public servants are critical to the fabric of our democracy, and I will keep you updated as I continue to fight to protect federal workers.

My office’s constituent services team is also here to help. Any Georgian in need of assistance with a federal agency, including following up on a pending filing, facilitating communication with agency staff, or working to resolve an administrative issue can contact my casework staff here: https://www.warnock.senate.gov/contact/contact-form/?path=help.

———