Public Health Under Threat
Understanding the threat to public health
These dangerous proposals jeopardize critical public health systems, weaken protections for vulnerable populations and risk worsening health inequities.
Watch: Making sense of the buzzwords and protecting public health
You’ve probably heard the buzzwords — "Big Beautiful Bill," "Reconciliation," "FY 2025," "FY 2026," "Rescission Package." What do these terms mean, and how could they impact public health funding in your community?
Watch: When Cutting Costs, Costs Health: What You Need to Know about Federal Policy Changes
In June and July, the U.S. Congress passed two large bills that formally upend decades of public health work in the U.S. and abroad. To pay for tax cuts, Congress - with pressure from the President - changed eligibility criteria for Medicaid, SNAP, and codified funding cuts for global health and democracy programs and public broadcasting.
APHA on key public health policy issues
Hear what APHA has to say about policy proposals that will impact public health.
SCOTUS issues partial stay in NIH research case
In a significant setback for public health, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts likely lacked jurisdiction to review the termination of research grants by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) targeting research on disfavored topics and populations.
APHA supports new Smart Surfaces Coalition tools geared towards keeping communities cool and healthy
Across 10 major U.S. cities - home to 8 million people - citywide adoption of Smart Surfaces could deliver $7.6 billion in public health benefits, $3.3 billion in electricity bill reductions, and $9.9 billion in infrastructure savings, while also reducing or offsetting 79 million metric tons of CO₂e and managing 275 billion gallons of stormwater.
Public Health Leaders’ Joint Statement in Response to the Attack on CDC
In response to the horrific shooting that occurred on Friday, Aug. 8, targeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Public Health Association stands with the public health community in solidarity with our CDC colleagues.
Shooter targets CDC
Our thoughts are with the staff of the CDC, members of the Emory community and the family and friends of the slain officer, but they deserve more than thoughts and prayers.
APHA's role in defending public health
APHA is fighting back. We remain steadfast in our efforts to challenge harmful policies, advocate for evidence-based approaches and defend the well-being of all Americans.
- Advocacy to protect public health
- Initiatives challenging threats to public health
- APHA speaks out in the news
APHA has been part of successful litigation and action challenging some of the biggest threats to public health. Read the latest testimony, comments and briefs and read all public letters to congress and federal agencies from APHA, including:
- Senate Appropriations Committee advances FY 2026 health funding bill
- On July 25, APHA joined more than 580 organizations in sending a letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders, urging them to provide an FY 2026 allocation for the Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee that ensures all of the important programs funded by the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill have adequate resources to achieve their goals.
- APHA blasts Trump administration’s proposal to roll back EPA’s climate change endangerment finding, greenhouse gas reduction rules for vehicles
- On July 29, U.S. EPA director Lee Zeldin announced that the EPA will seek to rescind its own 2009 Endangerment Finding that climate change and greenhouse gases threaten human health. This proposal undermines decades of science and rulings by federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, and exacerbate the health threats we are already seeing from climate change, including increased heat waves, more air pollution and deadly wildfires. APHA issued a statement condemning the proposed rollbacks and highlighting the importance of the many EPA climate-related rules that are working to combat climate change and reduce dangerous air pollution.
- APHA urges Trump administration to step up efforts to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza
- On July 25, APHA sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterating its support for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and the immediate release of all hostages. In the letter, APHA calls on the Trump administration to ensure that the United States works to end the conflict and ensure all parties work in good faith to negotiate a lasting peace in the region as soon as possible.
- APHA advocates for transparent food labels
- On July 24, APHA joined 33 other health and nutrition organizations in a letter endorsing the Transparency, Readability, Understandability, Truth, and Helpfulness (TRUTH) in Labeling Act of 2025. The bill would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to finalize FDA’s propose rule on front-of-package labeling, and would help streamline nutrition labels to show when a food product is either high, medium, or low in sodium, added sugars, or saturated fat. The letter outlines that dozens of other countries already have similar label requirements, and that studies show the requirement has a dual effect: helping consumers make healthier purchasing choices and pushing food manufacturers to produce healthier products.
- Get involved in the Speak for Health campaign as Congress goes on recess
- The House of Representatives and Senate are on recess — making now the perfect time to contact your elected officials about taking action on public health. Here are some things you can do to get involved:
- Familiarize yourself with APHA’s 2025 advocacy priorities.
- APHA members have sent over 10,000 action alerts this year — keep that momentum going and send a message to your member of Congress on public health funding or environmental protections.
- Check your representatives’ websites to find when their next town hall is so that you can attend and ask about their commitment to public health.
- In the mood to write? Write an op-ed to submit to your local paper on the topic of public health in your community. You can request an op-ed template from us by emailing [email protected].
- The House of Representatives and Senate are on recess — making now the perfect time to contact your elected officials about taking action on public health. Here are some things you can do to get involved:
For Our Health
Support for fired public health workers
