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Texas health agency asks lawmakers for additional funding to address growing Medicaid, SNAP backlogs
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, or HHSC, asked state lawmakers for additional funding to address a growing backlog of applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP,
Gov. Greg Abbott, Gina Hinojosa argue gender politics in governor race
Gov. Greg Abbott releases attack on Gina Hinojosa calling her a "gender bender" regarding Texas children ahead of the Texas governor race.
Heckler at GOP convention says of Abdul El-Sayed: 'He should be shot'
An attendee at the GOP midterm convention called for Democratic Senate candidates Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan and James Talorico of Texas to be shot.
Democrats rally with endorsement party in Harker Heights
The Bell County Texas Democratic Women celebrated five local candidates at the local political club’s 2026 Endorsement Party on Thursday night at The Art Space of Central Texas in Harker
‘Lioness’ alum Michael Kelly joins ‘Landman’ cast for Season 3
FORT WORTH, Texas — Taylor Sheridan is roping one of his longtime “Lioness” actors into “Landman.” Paramount+ announced Wednesday, Sept. 9, that Michael Kelly is joining the oil drama as
PHI Air Medical expand partnership with Alliance Mobile Health in Texas -
PHI Air Medical and Alligance Mobile Health have oened their third Texas base in less than a year with a new facility at Livingston
NYSE president touts Texas' 'pro-business environment' as stock exchange competition grows
NYSE President Lynn Martin credits Governor Abbott's pro-business environment as the exchange officially opens its NYSE Texas headquarters in Dallas.
His Retiree Health Plan Kept Paying After 65. It Paid Only What Medicare Would Have Left Over, and He Had Never Enrolled
His former employer's retiree plan kept paying claims for three years, and every explanation of benefits looked fine until a hospital stay produced a bill worth thousands of dollars that no one had warned him was coming.
Could Texas Turn Blue? The GOP Faces a New Test
Co-hosts Brandon Rottinghaus and Jeronimo Cortina delve into the latest news in politics
Bret Baier presses Paxton on Trump $5K dividend payment support
Fox News host Bret Baier questioned Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican Senate nominee, on Thursday over his support for President Trump’s new controversial “Trump dividend” proposal.…
9/11 Pentagon official remembers his survival 25 years later
For Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell of Texas, the Pentagon is more than a workplace, it’s the spot where his life nearly ended. Twenty-five years later, he’s walking its halls again, carrying with him a story of survival and a connection to the day that changed a generation.
Top Texas Republicans target Islam in GOP midterm convention speeches
Texas Republicans took anti-Muslim remarks to the national stage during speeches at the GOP midterm convention.
Texas health agency asks lawmakers for additional funding to address growing Medicaid, SNAP backlogs
Texas Health and Human Services is asking the state Legislature for the funding to make more than 600 temporary eligibility worker positions into permanent jobs. The ask comes as Texas' backlog of Medicaid and Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, applications continues to grow.
Iran war largely ignored at the Republican midterm convention
Aside from mentions by Trump and top administration officials, speakers at the convention mostly avoided talking about the war.
Shouts of ‘he should be shot’ heard during GOP midterm convention speech criticizing Democratic candidates
Shouts of “he should be shot” could be heard multiple times Thursday night at the Republican midterm convention as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was criticizing prominent Democratic politicians by name.
Fears of a Democratic Wave Push Texas to Center Stage at G.O.P. Convention
A parade of speakers focused on crucial races in the reliably red Texas, where Democrats are running close, or even ahead, of Republican nominees.
Texas Health Resources mental health program integrates faith with therapy care
The program began in Alliance and expanded to Rockwall this year. It aims to go virtual in the coming months.
Kimmel says Talarico interview won't air on TV under regulatory pressure from FCC
Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel said the agency that regulates television “threatened” the show and that an interview with James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, will not air on television but on YouTube — thus bypassing any control or regulation by the Federal Communications Commission.
Dan Patrick pitches Texas model at Republican midterm convention
At the Republican midterm convention, the lieutenant governor said voters should view the election as a battle for the soul of the U.S.
Gorilla Heavy Hitters hosts Night of Champions in Midland
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – This weekend, local boxing promotion Gorilla Heavy Hitters will be hosting its “Night of Champions” event. Multiple local boxers will be featured, showcasing West Texas talent, as Big Belt Champion and featherweight contender Conrad Martinez headlines the main event, facing off against the undefeated (15-0 13 KO) Victor “Jalapeno” Hernandez. Night […]
McAllen Fire Department to Host 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony
The McAllen Fire Department will host a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony on Friday, September 11, 2026, at 10 a.m. at McAllen Central Fire Station, located at 201 N. 21st Street in McAllen.
Illinois governor’s race shifts to Texas
Both Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican nominee Darren Bailey traveled to Dallas to court supporters in and around the Republican National Convention.
Illinois governor’s race shifts to Texas
Both Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican nominee Darren Bailey traveled to Dallas to court supporters in and around the Republican National Convention.
Texas Tech football schedule update — Texas State added
The Texas Tech football team's 2030 schedule is complete with the addition of Texas State. See all future non-conference opponents, game guarantees.
Indiana Looks to Stay Perfect Against Howard
The defending national champions return home Saturday looking to continue their strong start to the 2026 season when No. 5 Indiana hosts Howard at Memorial Stadium. Indiana enters the matchup 1-0 after opening the season with a 52-16 victory over North Texas. Howard comes into the game 1-1 and will face one of the biggest…
Jimmy Kimmel says FCC 'threatened our show' over interview with Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico
The late-night host said the sitdown would instead be posted directly to YouTube.
Kimmel says interview with James Talarico won't air on TV under pressure from the FCC
Jimmy Kimmel says the federal agency regulating television has "threatened" his show. An interview with James Talarico, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, will now air on YouTube instead...
Castillo Emerging as One of Rangers' Most Intriguing Prospects
Yolfran Castillo has taken a major step forward for the Texas Rangers in 2026.
Diego Martinez joins Texas A&M Department of Poultry Science
Diego A. Martinez, Ph.D., joined the Texas A&M Department of Poultry Science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as an assistant professor of poultry nutrition on August 1.
Babineaux delivers with first-place finish to start season
Nebraska’s men’s team teed off last week at the New York Harbor Cup, and on Tuesday, the women’s team began their season at The Bruzzy tournament. The two-day, 54-hole, 62-player event that ended Wednesday was hosted by the University of North Texas at Trophy Club Country Club in Trophy Club, Texas. The 11 schools that participated alongside Nebraska and North Texas were Oklahoma, UTSA, Texas A&M, Illinois, Xavier, Texas Tech, BYU, Texas State and ULM.
¡Texas Chivas fans: Chivas Femenil visit Dallas Trinity in October!
Big news, Chivahermanos in Texas! Chivas Femenil is returning to the Lone Star State, where it will play the 2026 State Fair Clasico against Dallas Trinity FC as part of the Tour Rebaño 2026.The roji...
Paul Finebaum makes prediction for Saturday’s Ohio State-Texas game
ESPN's Paul Finebaum has his prediction for Saturday's Ohio State-Texas game.
Jimmy Kimmel’s interview with James Talarico won’t air on ABC, will go to YouTube instead
It's the second time this year a late-night interview with the Texas U.S. Senate candidate has been moved online.
NewsWest 9
We are the Star of West Texas, bringing you stories from across West Texas and Southeastern New Mexico. We're relentless in providing breaking news, weather and traffic. Tweet us. Email news@newswest9.com. Call us at 432-567-9999. We’re listening!
WFAA
WFAA (Dallas–Fort Worth) is your source for breaking news, Texas weather, traffic, and live coverage in Dallas, Fort Worth, and across North Texas. Get the latest updates from the WFAA team — from major local headlines and investigations to severe weather, community stories, and the moments everyone’s talking about. Watch live newscasts, stream breaking coverage, and catch up on the top stories shaping Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano, and surrounding communities. Subscribe for: • Dallas–Fort Worth breaking news + live updates • Texas weather forecasts, storms, and severe weather alerts • Investigations and accountability reporting • Community stories across North Texas • Major events, sports, and local explainers WFAA — Dallas–Fort Worth news and weather, live and on demand. 🔗 More: https://www.wfaa.com
What to watch: College football Week 2 viewer's guide
No. 1 Ohio State visits No. 4 Texas after beating the Longhorns in 2025.
Mission Historical Museum to Celebrate Día de los Muertos
The Mission Historical Museum will invite the community to celebrate culture, remembrance and tradition during its annual Día de los Muertos Folklife Festival on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026.
Texas governor's race heads into fall closer than any since 1994
Summer polling show Gov. Abbott ahead, but tight margins have Democrats and Gina Hinojosa optimistic entering the final two months before Election Day.
Thursday Morning Links
Morning, all! Sebastian Walcott has been setting the Texas League on fire but has been limited to DH as he recovers from an internal brace procedure performed in February. The plan is for him to return to the field for the playoffs and then play in the Carrinean this winter. League Nathan Eovaldi is chomping […]
Ella Langley leads Country Music Association Awards nods
Ella Langley leads the 2026 Country Music Association Awards nominations with nine nods, thanks to her hit “Choosin’ Texas.”
Ella Langley leads Country Music Association Awards nods, with mentor Miranda Lambert close behind
Ella Langley leads the 2026 Country Music Association Awards nominations with nine nods, thanks to her hit “Choosin’ Texas.” | WWL
Walmart Reinvents the Store for a Faster Digital Future
Walmart President and CEO John Furner and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey pointed to value, faster delivery and digital growth as key factors behind the retailer’s second-quarter performance in a video Furner posted on his personal LinkedIn account following the release of Walmart’s Q2 FY27 financial results.
Rangers Going For Series Win Over Rival Mariners
The Texas Rangers have a chance to shake off some of their road struggles as they go for a series win over the Seattle Mariners.
Texas A&M Faces Arizona State Test After Dominant Season Opener
Texas A&M meets Arizona State in a major Week 2 test as Marcel Reed and the Aggies face red-hot quarterback Cutter Boley and the explosive Sun Devils.
Why Ohio State football remains committed to marquee nonconference matchups
Ohio State hasn't added a home-and-home series in years, but remains committed to playing high-profile nonconference games like its latest with Texas.
Which Texas college football stadium is toughest on visiting teams?
From deafening crowds to intimidating traditions, tell us which Texas stadium creates the toughest environment for visiting teams.
Texas politics takes center stage at 2026 RNC Convention
Texas politics and its contested Senate race take center stage at the 2026 RNC Convention in Dallas, Texas.
Texas politics takes center stage at 2026 RNC Convention
Texas politics and its contested Senate race take center stage at the 2026 RNC Convention in Dallas, Texas.
Texas politics takes center stage at 2026 RNC Convention
Texas politics and its contested Senate race take center stage at the 2026 RNC Convention in Dallas, Texas.
Texas politics takes center stage at 2026 RNC Convention
Texas politics and its contested Senate race take center stage at the 2026 RNC Convention in Dallas, Texas.
CEO politics may shape how companies compete
Decisions such as whether to cut prices, launch a product, open a new facility or make an acquisition are among those companies that consider in pursuit of a competitive edge. New research from Texas ...
Pritzker joins Texas Democrats in rebuttal of Dallas Republican Convention
Illinois’s governor called out Republican leaders and President Trump for holding their Dallas midterm convention despite everyday Americans struggling.
Athlete of the Week: Crane junior Hudson Willis
CRANE, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – We’re already through two weeks of the high school football season, and the Crane Golden Cranes are off to a perfect start. After opening the season with a win over Compass, Crane defeated Kermit 40-34, improving to 2-0 on the season, and leading the way was junior quarterback Hudson Willis, our […]
Texas A&M Sends 41 Former Aggies Into 2026 NFL Season
Texas A&M has 41 former players on NFL rosters as the 2026 season opens, led by Myles Garrett, Mike Evans, Von Miller and De’Von Achane.
James Talarico reverses stance on trans student-athletes
Talarico’s comments on Fox News came in contrast to positions he took in the Texas House opposing GOP restrictions on trans student-athletes.
Texas Senate candidate James Talarico: Voters are "tired of this professional wrestling" in politics
Fort Worth ISD earns grant to create, expand business and entrepreneur classrooms
The Texas Trust Gives Foundation awarded Fort Worth ISD its full grant to build business classrooms at World Language Institute.
Optum Health's partnership playbook
Optum Health's deal with TPG for its WellMed Florida clinics offers a potential playbook for its other provider markets like Texas.
Former STC Dual Credit Student Joins Computer Science Faculty
Texas Border Business By Joey Gomez McALLEN, Texas – South Texas College’s newest Computer Information Technologies (CIT) faculty member, Ramiro Santos believes he has come full circle. Not long ago, Santos was a dual credit student from PSJA Southwest Early College High School, who turned to STC faculty for guidance as he discovered a passion for […]
The data center backlash is reshaping Texas politics
By Texas Tribune Events Staff, The Texas Tribune August 28, 2026 Data centers are reshaping Texas communities, and the politics around them don’t break along familiar lines. On Wednesday, Sept. 9, The Texas Tribune convened a panel examining where Texans actually stand on the data center boom, how opinions are shifting and what it…
James Talarico says Ken Paxton is "lying to the people of Texas" with AI ad that puts "words in my mouth"
Texas Democrats focus on economy, voting access as RNC meets in Dallas
As the RNC meets in Dallas, Democrats are emphasizing working-class economics and voting access, with Tarrant County in the spotlight.
Border Operations Yield 247 Additional Cases in Early September
Another 247 people have been charged, including 232 illegal aliens, in 239 cases involving immigration and border security-related crimes from Aug. 28-Sept. 3.
Sydney Gruters to focus on campaign, skip Midterm RNC convention
She isn't flying to Texas, even though husband Joe Gruters is running the show there.
Texas and Nuevo León Advance Strategic Economic Partnership
Texas and Nuevo León officials and business leaders are moving to strengthen long-term economic cooperation following two days of meetings in Austin focused on investment, innovation, workforce development and strategic planning.
Crimson Crank: Nitpicking Indiana football’s win over North Texas
Picking something to be mad about after Indiana’s comfortable week one win over North Texas
Ohio third in the country for high school sports participation
Ohio had almost 350,000 high school student-athletes last season, following Texas and California.
Why Texas Republican donors give — and why the state matters to GOP fundraising
As the Republican National Committee gathers in Dallas, Republican donors and political experts explain why Texas raises so much money.
Walker, Smith, Varsho homers power Astros to 6-5 win over the Phillies
The Astros began the three-game series with a two-game lead on Texas atop the AL West.
The Cost of Cutting American Science: How Federal Cuts Diminish Public Health Capacity
Among the federal government’s many responsibilities is the work it does to protect public health. Federal agencies monitor our food supply to ensure safety, conduct research to better understand emerging health threats, provide funding for public health programs in communities and work to detect and respond to disease outbreaks. Americans rely on these efforts every day—in a 2024 online survey, 74% of respondents said that “if the federal government issued safety guidance about food you eat regularly,” they would follow it. Changes to Federal Public Health Capacity The Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the federal government have resulted in significant impacts on our nation’s public health capacity over the past 20 months, affecting the response to health concerns such as measles, Ebola and cyclosporiasis. Agencies with core public health, food safety and disease prevention responsibilities experienced large workforce decreases during the first year of the administration. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for instance, the workforce in February 2026 was 26.7% smaller than in September 2024 before the start of the Trump administration. The Food and Drug Administration saw a similarly steep decline of 21.6%. Agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Food Safety and Inspection Service also experienced large workforce decreases. (function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})(); Changes can also be seen in crucial public health occupations. The number of federal food inspectors, for example, decreased by more than half between September 2024 and February 2026, going from 1,035 to 473. This is the lowest number of food inspectors employed by the federal government since at least 2005. By February 2026, there were also 33.3% fewer federal public health program specialists, whose work includes advising federal funding recipients on public health activities and analyzing the effectiveness of public health programs. Government’s capacity is diminished as employees with specialized knowledge and experience in protecting the public and responding to health risks depart, leaving agencies less prepared to carry out their public health missions. There also have been vacancies in critical high-level leadership positions at public health agencies, most notably at the CDC, which had a permanent Senate-confirmed director for less than a month between January 2025 and early August 2026. Although the CDC has previously been led by acting directors at the start of an administration, the nearly yearlong gap since the departure of the administration’s first permanent director in August 2025 is without precedent. As of August 2026, the FDA is also currently without a Senate-confirmed commissioner following the previous commissioner’s resignation in May 2026. Additionally, public health agencies are experiencing increased politicization of their leadership ranks. In agencies such as the CDC and Food Safety and Inspection Service, the number of individuals in the Senior Executive Service—the most senior career leaders in government—has declined significantly, while at the same time the number of political appointees has reached record levels. (function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})(); (function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})(); At the CDC, for example, the number of career SES decreased 42.9% between December 2024 and February 2026, while the number of non-Senate confirmed political appointees at the agency was six times larger than the agency’s historical average from 2009 and 2024. Knowledgeable career leaders are integral to the ability of public health agencies to carry out their work with scientific integrity and professional judgment, and rapid leadership turnover and increased politicization threaten agencies’ ability to make evidence-based decisions to protect our health. The upheaval and politicization in public health agencies have also negatively affected employee engagement. Strong employee engagement is crucial to the ability of agencies to carry out their mission and successfully provide essential services to the public. In the 2025 Public Service Viewpoint Survey conducted by the Partnership for Public Service, the Department of Health and Human Services—which encompasses major public health agencies such as the CDC and FDA—had an employee engagement and satisfaction score of 20.4 out of 100, one of the lowest among large agencies. Only 2.8% of HHS employees indicated trust in their political leaders and only 8.7% reported confidence that they could report a suspected violation of law or regulation without retaliation. Employees at HHS also reported that the agency’s ability to provide services to the public had suffered. Nearly half of employees at HHS, 47.5%, said their work unit was worse at delivering quality services compared to its performance in 2024. In addition, 57.8% said their work unit was performing worse at fulfilling stakeholder needs. In addition to the work done within federal agencies, the federal government also distributes significant funding for public health and disease prevention work to state and local governments, nonprofits and small businesses—funding which has been significantly disrupted. At the CDC, for example, there was a 71.9% decrease in the amount of project grant funding issued in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024. The FDA also issued far less funding in fiscal year 2025—a 21.3% decrease from its fiscal year 2024 funding. Changes in federal funding include the ending of grants to community organizations that worked on HIV prevention and the cancellation of funding for research into improvements to patient safety and healthcare quality. These changes go beyond federal agencies to impact the broader public health ecosystem, including the state and local health departments responsible for much of the on-the-ground public health work in their communities. About 80% of the CDC’s domestic funding is directed towards state and local partners—meaning that cuts to CDC funding can ultimately result in cuts to state and local public health capacity. Federal agencies also provide expertise and assistance to state and local health agencies as they deal with particular health challenges, but workforce cuts have resulted in fewer federal employees available to help. The Impact of Changes to Public Health Capacity These changes to federal public health capacity are not abstract concerns. Disrupted programs, reduced funding and lost expertise at public health agencies across all levels of government threaten the public’s physical well-being and safety. In some cases, this has already led to harm. The most immediate impacts of federal cuts were seen in interruptions to ongoing public health programs and crisis responses. In one instance, when CDC grants were canceled during the 2025 Texas measles outbreak—the most severe measles outbreak in 25 years—public health officials in Lubbock, Texas were forced to pause parts of their measles response work supported by the frozen funding. Lubbock’s director of public health further said that a lack of available CDC experts to reach out to for advice “definitely” impacted the department’s response to the measles crisis. Cuts to federal funding also forced Dallas County Health and Human Services to cut staff and cancel 50 community vaccination clinics during the outbreak. Public health work outside of major outbreak responses was also disrupted. For example, in April 2025, the Milwaukee Public Health Department was unexpectedly unable to reach experts on lead poisoning due to firings at the CDC when responding to concerns about lead contamination in Milwaukee public schools. Due to federal workforce cuts, several programs at the CDC, including Alzheimer’s and epilepsy programs, have also become trapped in limbo—existing on paper, but without the staff necessary to operate. More recent crises reveal how federal cuts have weakened the public health infrastructure needed to prevent and respond to dangerous new outbreaks. Internationally, cuts at the U.S. Agency for International Development eliminated funding for disease testing and contact tracing abroad, which delayed detection of and responses to the 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. While international outbreaks may seem far removed, the unchecked spread of disease in any country can quickly pose a danger to economic well-being, security and health around the world. Within the United States, public health cuts inhibited responses to the summer 2026 outbreak of the food-borne parasite cyclospora. At the federal level, cuts to funding for lab equipment and for CDC staff with expertise in parasitic infections—including 9 out of 11 staff members at the lab responsible for identifying parasitic outbreaks in 2025— contributed to the largest reporting delay in outbreak cases at the CDC in 15 years. Conflicting communications from the FDA about the source of the outbreak, which followed cuts to the agency’s communications department, additionally led to confusion among the public about how to best avoid infection. At the same time, cuts to HHS funding and support for local and state public health slowed some health departments’ responses to the crisis. The exact costs of these delays, constraints and confusion in public health responses are difficult to estimate. However, their message is clear: federal cuts have already made containing threats to public health even more of a challenge. Conclusion Protecting public health—from food safety to disease prevention—is one of the federal government’s most important missions. Dramatic and haphazard cuts to federal agencies and funding have already disrupted the public health system, impacting the response to challenges such as measles, lead poisoning and cyclosporiasis. The U.S. public health system needed improvement before these disruptions. Since 2022, federal leadership and coordination in response to public health outbreaks has been on the Government Accountability Office’s High-Risk List of areas in need of attention to improve government effectiveness and efficiency. Recent cuts only compound these concerns. The chaotic dismantling of government and resulting disruptions to crucial functions like public health and disease prevention highlight the need for meaningful reform and concrete policy proposals to reimagine how government can better serve the public and be more effective, responsive and accountable. To learn more about the impact of federal cuts to public health and science more broadly, visit The Cost of Cutting American Science. Learn more For more information on the Partnership for Public Service’s government reform initiative, visit Government for a New Era. View here In line with The Cost of Cutting American Science, federal workforce data in this brief is as of February 2026
The Cost of Cutting American Science: How Federal Cuts Diminish Public Health Capacity
Among the federal government’s many responsibilities is the work it does to protect public health. Federal agencies monitor our food supply to ensure safety, conduct research to better understand emerging health threats, provide funding for public health programs in communities and work to detect and respond to disease outbreaks. Americans rely on these efforts every day—in a 2024 online survey, 74% of respondents said that “if the federal government issued safety guidance about food you eat regularly,” they would follow it. Changes to Federal Public Health Capacity The Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the federal government have resulted in significant impacts on our nation’s public health capacity over the past 20 months, affecting the response to health concerns such as measles, Ebola and cyclosporiasis. Agencies with core public health, food safety and disease prevention responsibilities experienced large workforce decreases during the first year of the administration. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for instance, the workforce in February 2026 was 26.7% smaller than in September 2024 before the start of the Trump administration. The Food and Drug Administration saw a similarly steep decline of 21.6%. Agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Food Safety and Inspection Service also experienced large workforce decreases. (function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})(); Changes can also be seen in crucial public health occupations. The number of federal food inspectors, for example, decreased by more than half between September 2024 and February 2026, going from 1,035 to 473. This is the lowest number of food inspectors employed by the federal government since at least 2005. By February 2026, there were also 33.3% fewer federal public health program specialists, whose work includes advising federal funding recipients on public health activities and analyzing the effectiveness of public health programs. Government’s capacity is diminished as employees with specialized knowledge and experience in protecting the public and responding to health risks depart, leaving agencies less prepared to carry out their public health missions. There also have been vacancies in critical high-level leadership positions at public health agencies, most notably at the CDC, which had a permanent Senate-confirmed director for less than a month between January 2025 and early August 2026. Although the CDC has previously been led by acting directors at the start of an administration, the nearly yearlong gap since the departure of the administration’s first permanent director in August 2025 is without precedent. As of August 2026, the FDA is also currently without a Senate-confirmed commissioner following the previous commissioner’s resignation in May 2026. Additionally, public health agencies are experiencing increased politicization of their leadership ranks. In agencies such as the CDC and Food Safety and Inspection Service, the number of individuals in the Senior Executive Service—the most senior career leaders in government—has declined significantly, while at the same time the number of political appointees has reached record levels. (function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})(); (function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})(); At the CDC, for example, the number of career SES decreased 42.9% between December 2024 and February 2026, while the number of non-Senate confirmed political appointees at the agency was six times larger than the agency’s historical average from 2009 and 2024. Knowledgeable career leaders are integral to the ability of public health agencies to carry out their work with scientific integrity and professional judgment, and rapid leadership turnover and increased politicization threaten agencies’ ability to make evidence-based decisions to protect our health. The upheaval and politicization in public health agencies have also negatively affected employee engagement. Strong employee engagement is crucial to the ability of agencies to carry out their mission and successfully provide essential services to the public. In the 2025 Public Service Viewpoint Survey conducted by the Partnership for Public Service, the Department of Health and Human Services—which encompasses major public health agencies such as the CDC and FDA—had an employee engagement and satisfaction score of 20.4 out of 100, one of the lowest among large agencies. Only 2.8% of HHS employees indicated trust in their political leaders and only 8.7% reported confidence that they could report a suspected violation of law or regulation without retaliation. Employees at HHS also reported that the agency’s ability to provide services to the public had suffered. Nearly half of employees at HHS, 47.5%, said their work unit was worse at delivering quality services compared to its performance in 2024. In addition, 57.8% said their work unit was performing worse at fulfilling stakeholder needs. In addition to the work done within federal agencies, the federal government also distributes significant funding for public health and disease prevention work to state and local governments, nonprofits and small businesses—funding which has been significantly disrupted. At the CDC, for example, there was a 71.9% decrease in the amount of project grant funding issued in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024. The FDA also issued far less funding in fiscal year 2025—a 21.3% decrease from its fiscal year 2024 funding. Changes in federal funding include the ending of grants to community organizations that worked on HIV prevention and the cancellation of funding for research into improvements to patient safety and healthcare quality. These changes go beyond federal agencies to impact the broader public health ecosystem, including the state and local health departments responsible for much of the on-the-ground public health work in their communities. About 80% of the CDC’s domestic funding is directed towards state and local partners—meaning that cuts to CDC funding can ultimately result in cuts to state and local public health capacity. Federal agencies also provide expertise and assistance to state and local health agencies as they deal with particular health challenges, but workforce cuts have resulted in fewer federal employees available to help. The Impact of Changes to Public Health Capacity These changes to federal public health capacity are not abstract concerns. Disrupted programs, reduced funding and lost expertise at public health agencies across all levels of government threaten the public’s physical well-being and safety. In some cases, this has already led to harm. The most immediate impacts of federal cuts were seen in interruptions to ongoing public health programs and crisis responses. In one instance, when CDC grants were canceled during the 2025 Texas measles outbreak—the most severe measles outbreak in 25 years—public health officials in Lubbock, Texas were forced to pause parts of their measles response work supported by the frozen funding. Lubbock’s director of public health further said that a lack of available CDC experts to reach out to for advice “definitely” impacted the department’s response to the measles crisis. Cuts to federal funding also forced Dallas County Health and Human Services to cut staff and cancel 50 community vaccination clinics during the outbreak. Public health work outside of major outbreak responses was also disrupted. For example, in April 2025, the Milwaukee Public Health Department was unexpectedly unable to reach experts on lead poisoning due to firings at the CDC when responding to concerns about lead contamination in Milwaukee public schools. Due to federal workforce cuts, several programs at the CDC, including Alzheimer’s and epilepsy programs, have also become trapped in limbo—existing on paper, but without the staff necessary to operate. More recent crises reveal how federal cuts have weakened the public health infrastructure needed to prevent and respond to dangerous new outbreaks. Internationally, cuts at the U.S. Agency for International Development eliminated funding for disease testing and contact tracing abroad, which delayed detection of and responses to the 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. While international outbreaks may seem far removed, the unchecked spread of disease in any country can quickly pose a danger to economic well-being, security and health around the world. Within the United States, public health cuts inhibited responses to the summer 2026 outbreak of the food-borne parasite cyclospora. At the federal level, cuts to funding for lab equipment and for CDC staff with expertise in parasitic infections—including 9 out of 11 staff members at the lab responsible for identifying parasitic outbreaks in 2025— contributed to the largest reporting delay in outbreak cases at the CDC in 15 years. Conflicting communications from the FDA about the source of the outbreak, which followed cuts to the agency’s communications department, additionally led to confusion among the public about how to best avoid infection. At the same time, cuts to HHS funding and support for local and state public health slowed some health departments’ responses to the crisis. The exact costs of these delays, constraints and confusion in public health responses are difficult to estimate. However, their message is clear: federal cuts have already made containing threats to public health even more of a challenge. Conclusion Protecting public health—from food safety to disease prevention—is one of the federal government’s most important missions. Dramatic and haphazard cuts to federal agencies and funding have already disrupted the public health system, impacting the response to challenges such as measles, lead poisoning and cyclosporiasis. The U.S. public health system needed improvement before these disruptions. Since 2022, federal leadership and coordination in response to public health outbreaks has been on the Government Accountability Office’s High-Risk List of areas in need of attention to improve government effectiveness and efficiency. Recent cuts only compound these concerns. The chaotic dismantling of government and resulting disruptions to crucial functions like public health and disease prevention highlight the need for meaningful reform and concrete policy proposals to reimagine how government can better serve the public and be more effective, responsive and accountable. To learn more about the impact of federal cuts to public health and science more broadly, visit The Cost of Cutting American Science. Learn more For more information on the Partnership for Public Service’s government reform initiative, visit Government for a New Era. View here In line with The Cost of Cutting American Science, federal workforce data in this brief is as of February 2026
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