During his hour-long town hall in Marietta, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff praised work of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the outset, Ossoff admitted he ‘may not see eye to eye on the issues’ while welcoming pointed and tough questions.
Ossoff was effusive regarding the CDC’s work. However, members of the CDC (current and former) raised questions regarding when they would be made whole again.
“The most important thing that we have to do is to inform the public of how dire the threat to public health is resulting from this war on the CDC,” Ossoff says. “There is no button that I can simply press that I’m not pressing, or some tool of procedure that I can use that I’m not using, that will reverse what they’re doing. Ultimately, it will come down to whether or not the American people see and understand that they’re being put at risk, not just for the next six months but for the next 60 years.”
Those fired by DOGE fight back
Abby, a member of Fired but Fighting, a group of released healthcare workers, told Ossoff she was a probationary hire at the CDC and was fired by DOGE. She wanted to know the methods which Ossoff will advocate for public health in the 2026 Budget. Then, she went on to highlight where Ossoff has come up short.
“We want to know why we have gotten no response from your staff, Abby said. “We have called, we have tried many times to meet with you and your staff to talk about the concerns that we have from public health. And we have been ignored.”
Ossoff turned it into a rallying cry. He pledges to raise public awareness about the importance of the CDC’s work in preventing disease outbreaks and protecting public health. He also pledges to pressure Republican Senators, to oppose cuts to CDC and public health funding.
“You’ll recall what happened just a couple of months ago when Republicans in Congress basically signed a blank check for the administration. I will work to avoid that,” Ossoff said. “I will work to make sure that CDC funding, HHS, public health funding and global health funding are robust and protected, and I will continue to do everything I can to hold accountable the Secretary and the new leadership at CDC for these outrageous cuts to the CDC workforce, which put the American people at risk.”
Constituents ask Ossoff to get in formation
Attendees highlighted a recent round table Senator Warnock hosted with CDC employees and federal employees. They were able to share our stories and ask for help directly. So Warnock didn’t just listen. Some of the workers believed Ossoff was not in lockstep with Georgia’s Junior Senator.
“And in fact, I was pleased to join Senator Warnock in sending that letter to Secretary Kennedy,” Ossoff said. “At about 2:00 AM, when we were debating Mr. Kennedy’s prospective confirmation to the US Senate, those of us who were in opposition to his confirmation were holding the Senate floor all night.”
Ossoff is the only Democrat up for re-election in a state won by Donald Trump in 2024. His seat has been targeted by Republicans and MAGA as they seek to strengthen their hold on the Senate.
Translucent is not Transparent
The CDC’s cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency have been wildly unpopular and untenable. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said in January the U.S. Government could use ‘a little right-sizing’. Additionally, President Trump and the U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene both claim this government is transparent. The opposite is true. DOGE’s accounting practices are cloudy at best. Plus, DOGE’s cuts only are $160 billion, only 8% of their $2 trillion goal. Lastly, U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly sent a letter stating DOGE employees ‘may be engaged in technological malfeasance and illegal activity at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Department of Labor (DOL).’ DOGE is accused of downloading sensitive data, deleting their access to systems, and masking Russian IP addresses.
Ossoff echoed the feelings Trump is engaged in unethical and unlawful conduct.
“There is no doubt that this President’s conduct has already exceeded any prior standard for impeachment by the United States House of Representatives,” Ossoff said.