On March 23, 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Thomas Frieden will appear before the House Appropriations’ Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee, to make the case for increased funding. To help Congress better evaluate this request, National Taxpayers Union (NTU) has released an issue brief highlighting recent troubles at the agency.
The brief looks at serious lapses in safety, oversight, questionable practices and political activism, as well as questionable science at the CDC over the last five years and demonstrates the need for Congress to perform closer oversight of the agency.
With the recent Ebola and Zika virus outbreaks, a properly functioning CDC is more important than ever. But with Uncle Sam facing $19 trillion in debt, taxpayers need to be assured that their money is not wasted or misspent, and that the agency remains focused on its key mission. NTU’s issue brief should be a call to action.