U.S. Representative Terri Sewell (D-AL), a Selma native and prominent voice for Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, has issued a sharp warning after learning that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has abruptly terminated a $190 million grant to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH).
According to her, the move puts the state’s most vulnerable communities at risk.
In an emotional Instagram video and post last week, Sewell revealed that the funding loss, which came without prior notice, immediately impacted 140 full-time employees at county health departments across Alabama.
These positions, she explained, were vital in preventing and tracking the spread of infectious diseases, including in prisons, nursing homes, and daycare centers.
“I just got some very troubling news,” Sewell said in the video. “The cuts were immediately effective. That means we will lose personnel in county health departments all across the state.”
The CDC grant, according to Sewell, played a critical role in maintaining Alabama’s public health infrastructure. Without it, county departments are scrambling to secure alternative funding. The sudden loss also comes at a dangerous time, with measles outbreaks spreading in several states. Though Alabama has yet to report a case, Sewell warned that the reduction in local health personnel could hinder early detection and response.
“This will affect the most vulnerable in our communities,” she said, calling attention to the likely gaps in outbreak investigations and public health surveillance. “So many communicable diseases may go undetected.”
Rep. Sewell also tied the funding cut to broader actions by the Trump administration, which she claims are targeting vital public health services under the guise of cost-cutting and deregulation.
“This is the latest cut by the Trump administration,” she said, vowing to continue fighting in Congress. “I will continue to legislate, litigate, and mobilize so our constituents’ voices are amplified.”
The congresswoman ended her message with a call to action, urging Alabama’s senators and state leaders to step up and oppose what she called “unacceptable cuts.”
As communities across the state brace for the ripple effects, public health advocates warn that the sudden defunding may compromise the ability to contain and prevent the spread of future disease outbreaks, especially in rural counties already facing limited healthcare access.
The CDC has yet to issue an official comment regarding the abrupt termination of the grant.
