Senate and House Committees Reject Plan to Eliminate CDC Injury Center

Congressional appropriators have acted to maintain the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (Injury Center) after a proposal in the president’s FY 2026 budget sought to eliminate the center and transfer its programs to a new agency.

The president’s budget request for FY 2026 included a plan to dissolve the Injury Center and move its activities to the proposed Administration for a Healthy America (AHA). This proposal was part of a broader reorganization plan announced by the Department of Health and Human Services in March 2025, which aimed to consolidate several non-infectious disease centers within the CDC under the new AHA structure.

On August 20, 2025, the Office of Management and Budget lifted a freeze on funding for five specific Injury Center programs for FY 2025. These programs included firearm injury prevention research, adverse childhood experiences, youth violence prevention, Injury Control Research Centers, and Core SIPP.

Senate appropriators rejected the administration’s plan to eliminate the Injury Center and instead approved full funding for its programs in the FY 2026 Labor, HHS, and Education appropriations bill. By September 24, 2025, both the House and Senate appropriations committees had declined to support the elimination proposal, with the Senate bill recommending $761 million in funding and the House bill proposing $665 million.

What the numbers show

• The Injury Center’s FY 2025 budget was approximately $761 million
• The Senate appropriations bill for FY 2026 proposed $761 million for the Injury Center
• The House appropriations bill for FY 2026 proposed $665 million
• Over 80 % of the Injury Center’s annual appropriation is directed to communities

The Injury Center’s funding for FY 2025 remained at about $761 million, the same level as the previous fiscal year. The center allocates more than 80 % of its annual budget to support state and local health departments, tribal organizations, and non-profit groups.

The proposal to transfer the Injury Center’s programs was introduced as part of a larger reorganization effort by the Department of Health and Human Services. This effort aimed to consolidate several CDC centers focused on non-infectious diseases under the new Administration for a Healthy America.

The Office of Management and Budget’s decision to lift the funding freeze in August 2025 allowed key Injury Center programs to continue operations for the remainder of FY 2025. These programs address a range of public health issues, including injury prevention research and youth violence prevention.

With both chambers of Congress rejecting the elimination proposal, the Injury Center is set to continue its operations with funding levels similar to previous years. The final appropriations outcome will determine the exact funding amount for FY 2026.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.