Celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the premier public health institute of the United States.

Celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the premier public health institute of the United States.

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (referred to in this preamble as the “CDC”) celebrated its 80th anniversary on July 1, 2026;

Whereas, on July 1, 1946, the CDC was first established in Atlanta, Georgia, as the Communicable Disease Center to control the spread of malaria after World War II;

Whereas, since the 1940s, the CDC expanded from fewer than 400 employees in Atlanta, Georgia, to nearly 13,000 employees across more than 60 countries in early 2025 to spearhead its lifesaving mission of preventing and protecting the people of the United States from diseases and other emerging health threats;

Whereas the CDC has contributed to major public health achievements, including the eradication of smallpox in 1980, the prevention of more than 1,100,000 deaths through the Vaccines for Children program between 1994 and 2023, and the control of numerous outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fevers;

Whereas the CDC contributed to the decline in drug overdoses in the United States by surveilling overdoses, prescribing guidelines, and partnering with High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas programs in States;

Whereas the CDC has addressed the leading cause of preventable death through its Tips From Former Smokers campaign, which helped 1,000,000 individuals successfully quit smoking and prevented an estimated 129,000 premature deaths;

Whereas the CDC protects the health of the people of the United States by leading cross-cutting scientific research on public health threats, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, injuries, chronic diseases, zoonotic infectious diseases, and environmental health issues, among others;

Whereas the CDC plays a critical role in providing public health guidance to health professionals and patients on safe pregnancies and childbirth, environmental and occupational exposures, disabilities, and the prevention and control of injuries and diseases;

Whereas the CDC provides financial and technical support to States, territories, Tribes, and local public health organizations to implement major public health initiatives, such as the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program, to improve domestic disease monitoring and emergency preparedness;

Whereas the CDC helps bridge the rural health gap by funding public awareness, preventive screenings, and workforce training programs that promote education, detection, and early intervention for public health threats in underserved communities;

Whereas the CDC trains and recruits the world’s leading epidemiologists, researchers, and public health experts by facilitating fellowship and internship programs;

Whereas the CDC is a key implementer of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in collaboration with the Department of State, a program credited with saving more than 26,000,000 lives from the global HIV epidemic since its inception in 2003;

Whereas the CDC works with foreign ministries of health and other partners to strengthen disease surveillance, laboratory systems, emergency preparedness, and outbreak response and deploys experts to areas affected by public health emergencies;

Whereas CDC employees dedicate their lives to improving health outcomes worldwide through data-driven research and public health interventions;

Whereas, on August 8, 2025, a gunman fired more than 500 shots at buildings at the CDC headquarters, including near a childcare center, leading to the tragic death of Officer David Rose, a DeKalb County law enforcement officer, and critical damage to the Atlanta campus; and

Whereas the shooting attack caused devastation, trauma, and grief to thousands of public health workers across the United States and many hardworking CDC employees who still had to show up at the office for months with bullet holes in the windows: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) condemns the act of violence during the shooting on August 8, 2025, and offers condolences to the loved ones of Officer David Rose, who died in the line of duty;

(2) affirms the responsibility of Congress to protect the integrity of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (referred to in this resolution as the “CDC”) and the dignity of dedicated CDC employees who put their lives on the line for millions of individuals in the United States;

(3) commits to supporting the lifesaving mission of the CDC of protecting the people of the United States and keeping them healthy, safe, and secure through data-driven scientific research, innovation, and public health initiatives;

(4) expresses hope that the CDC, with continued investment, will continue its important work of saving lives from public health threats; and

(5) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the Director of the CDC.