Pallone Leads NJ House Democrats in Urging HHS Secretary RFK Jr. to Reverse Cuts to Public Health Funding

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today led all House Democrats from New Jersey in sending a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., urging him to reverse the Trump Administration's decision to rescind $11.4 billion in federal public health funding-including $350 million allocated to New Jersey. Pallone's letter was signed by NJ Representatives Menendez, Watson Coleman, Sherrill, Conaway, Pou, McIver, Gottheimer, and Norcross.

The lawmakers warned that the cuts would severely weaken New Jersey's public health infrastructure, including efforts to prevent disease outbreaks, expand access to addiction and mental health treatment, and support a stable health care workforce. The funding, originally authorized during the COVID-19 pandemic, has become a critical lifeline for state and local health departments.

"If these cuts are allowed to proceed, the consequences will be severe and immediate. Health programs will be dismantled, services will be terminated midstream, and the burden of these cuts will fall disproportionately on low-income communities, seniors, and individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorders. In addition, closing regional HHS offices and laying off thousands of public health professionals will weaken the federal government's ability to respond to future health crises," the delegation wrote.

New Jersey is already seeing the consequences of eroded public health protections. On March 28, the state Department of Health issued a warning that a person infected with measles may have exposed others at a Mercer County emergency room-one of hundreds of new cases reported nationwide this year. Measles, once declared eliminated in the U.S., is now back, fueled by anti-vaccine misinformation and public distrust sown by Donald Trump and Secretary Kennedy himself.

Pallone is the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over federal public health programs.

A full copy of Pallone's letter is availablehereand below:

We write to express our deep concern and strong opposition to the recent decision to revoke $11.4 billion in federal funding for health programs across the United States, including $350 million in critical public health funding for New Jersey.^[1]These cuts will have severe consequences for addiction treatment, mental health services, and infectious disease prevention in our state. We urge the Administration to reverse this decision and restore the funding to ensure the health and well-being of our communities.

These federal funds have been instrumental in strengthening our public health infrastructure, which was critically under-resourced before the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]Contrary to the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) assertion that these funds were exclusively for pandemic-related responses, they are used for a wide range of essential health programs in New Jersey, including:

• Infectious Disease Monitoring and Prevention: These funds have enabled state and local health departments to track and respond to outbreaks of flu, RSV, measles, tuberculosis, and bird flu. The sudden elimination of this funding will severely weaken our ability to monitor and contain infectious diseases, placing vulnerable populations at significant risk.
• Mental Health and Addiction Treatment: At a time when opioid overdoses remain a leading cause of preventable death, New Jersey has used these funds to expand access to counseling, treatment, and harm reduction services. These efforts have contributed to a decrease in overdose deaths from 3,171 in 2022 to 2,816 in 2023^[3]. Cutting these funds threatens to reverse this progress and exacerbate the opioid crisis.
• Public Health Workforce and Infrastructure: The loss of $350 million in funding will likely lead to job losses within the New Jersey Department of Health, Department of Human Services, local health departments, and contracted health service providers. These cuts will not only impact employment but will also reduce the capacity of health professionals to respond to ongoing and emerging health threats.

These cuts are occurring alongside anticipated reductions in Medicaid funding and medical research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), further compounding the strain on New Jersey's health care system. Medicaid provides critical health care access to low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.^[4]Any reduction in funding will place an additional financial burden on hospitals and health care providers, forcing them to cut services or shift costs to state and local governments.

The Department of Health and Human Services has justified these cuts by stating that "the COVID-19 pandemic is over."^[5]However, this funding has long since evolved and has been approved beyond pandemic response and become a cornerstone of public health programs that protect the most vulnerable and ensure public safety. The reality is that infectious disease outbreaks, mental health crises, and addiction epidemics are ongoing public health emergencies that require sustained investment.

If these cuts are allowed to proceed, the consequences will be severe and immediate. Health programs will be dismantled, services will be terminated midstream, and the burden of these cuts will fall disproportionately on low-income communities, seniors, and individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorders. In addition, closing regional HHS offices and laying off thousands of public health professionals will weaken the federal government's ability to respond to future health crises.^[6]

We strongly urge you to reconsider this decision and reinstate this funding in full. Public health should not be a partisan issue-investments in health infrastructure save lives, reduce long-term health care costs, and ensure that states have the resources necessary to address ongoing and emerging health threats. New Jersey, like many other states, cannot afford to bear the consequences of these ill-advised cuts.

We hope you will recognize the critical need for this funding and take immediate action to reverse this decision. We stand ready to work together to ensure that all Americans have access to the health care services they need and deserve.