Republicans Seek to Defund Trump's Ambitious HIV Eradication Effort

House Republicans have proposed a spending bill that would cut $1.6 billion from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including eliminating the agency's share of former President Trump's plan to end the HIV epidemic in the United States. The proposed cuts also target other health initiatives and programs related to climate change and gun violence research. These reductions come on top of recent budget cuts to the CDC's childhood vaccination and sexually transmitted infection prevention programs. Public health officials and advocates are concerned that these cuts will hinder progress in fighting HIV and exacerbate the epidemic, particularly in the southern states where the disease is most prevalent. The proposed budget cuts are unlikely to clear Congress, but they highlight the politicization of public health and the challenges faced by the CDC in a polarized political landscape.