Atlanta, GA — Representative Lucy McBath (GA-06) and Georgia's Democratic Congressional Delegation are demanding answers on the latest CDC firings, calling on U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to answer for the chaos and disruption at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that has marked his tenure, 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. It was then reported that 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.

“The CDC is now in disarray and its workforce deeply demoralized. That means the United States and the American people are less safe from deadly disease.” Rep. McBath and the group wrote to Secretary Kennedy. “Your reckless demolition of an essential public health agency appears motivated to significant extent by personal animus and a failure to grasp basic facts about its work. That is unacceptable for the Secretary of Health and Human Services.”  

Click here to read the group’s full inquiry.