Elfreth Condemns CDC Cuts During Gun Violence Awareness Month

WASHINGTON, DC - Yesterday, Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (MD-03) took to the House floor to condemn the Trump Administration's cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and its Division of Violence Prevention and Division of Injury Prevention.

"Over the years, the CDC has advanced our nation's public health through recommendations to improve things like vehicle design, smoke detector detectors, and bicycle helmets. Yet, this Administration is now decimating CDC offices, including the Division of Violence Prevention and the Division of Injury Prevention," said Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth. "As legislators, we have a shared responsibility to advance policies to keep our communities safe, but we cannot do that without good science and good data. We simply cannot understand the scope and the depth of the gun violence epidemic without the CDC doing its job."

Starting in April 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the CDC, announced the elimination of more than 10,000 jobs and closed several divisions. The CDC's Division of Violence Prevention and Division of Injury Prevention were among the dozens of teams that lost personnel. DOGE also eliminated the team responsible for the Web-Based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) that collects, analyzes, and reports critical gun violence data.  

CLICK HERE or the image below to view Elfreth's full remarks.

Elfreth has consistently used her time on the House Floor to speak out against cuts to federal programs, including previous remarks on local food banks, 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Services, PBS, FEMA's BRIC grants, and NIOSH's Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation Program and the National Cancer Firefighter Registry.

Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth

Remarks as Delivered

Floor Speech

June 10th, 2025

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. 

This Gun Violence Prevention Month, I rise today to bring attention to the leading cause of death for children and teens in this country: firearms. And the reason we know that firearms are the leading cause of death for children, is because of scientists and researchers at government agencies like the Centers for Disease Control. 

Over the years, the CDC has advanced our nation's public health through recommendations to improve things like vehicle design, smoke detector detectors, and bicycle helmets. Yet, this Administration is now decimating CDC offices, including the Division of Violence Prevention and the Division of Injury Prevention. 

Mr. Speaker, as legislators, we have a shared responsibility to advance policies to keep our communities safe, but we cannot do that without good science and good data. We simply cannot understand the scope and the depth of the gun violence epidemic without the CDC doing its job.

That's why myself and House Democrats will fight for our world-class scientists, researchers, and health professionals every single day. 

I yield back.

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