For years, Americans have lost trust in public health authorities—not just because of what was said, but because of how far institutions like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have drifted from their original purpose.

Now, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is proposing a bold but common-sense reform: return the CDC to its founding mission—fighting infectious disease.

In a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, Secretary Kennedy laid out a clear case:

“The CDC’s mission—protecting Americans from infectious disease—was clear and noble. But bureaucratic mission creep and politicized science have corroded that purpose and squandered public trust.”

We agree. Instead of focusing on real-time threats like viral outbreaks and bioterrorism, the CDC has become bloated, distracted by programs far outside its core mission—ranging from lifestyle campaigns to behavioral programs better handled by other agencies.

This petition calls on Congress and public health leadership to support RFK Jr.’s plan to refocus the CDC solely on infectious disease response and outbreak preparedness

Create a separate agency for chronic disease, lifestyle, and non-infectious health issues.

Public health only works when the public trusts the system. That trust has been broken—and it won’t be fixed by expanding the CDC’s power. It will be restored by defining its limits, delivering honest science, and ending the politics-as-usual approach to health.