Sen. Ossoff Again Presses HHS Secretary Kennedy for Failing to Address Cancelation of CDC’s Cyclosporiasis Parasite Monitoring

Washington, D.C. - As cases top 11,000 nationwide, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is pressing HHS Secretary Kennedy on cuts to Cyclosporiasis monitoring.

Today, Sen. Ossoff is again demanding answers from U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. about his decision to terminate the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) required surveillance of Cyclospora cayetanensis, the parasite responsible for cyclosporiasis and is again requesting answers on the progress of Federal efforts to investigate and contain it.

According to recent reports, there are over 11,500 cyclosporiasis cases being investigated across 41 states, including Georgia, with more than 4,100 cases being confirmed, and more than 300 people hospitalized.

Sec. Kennedy failed to respond to Sen. Ossoff's initial inquiry on the cyclosporiasis outbreak.

"You have failed to address my questions regarding your inexplicable decision to terminate the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) required surveillance of Cyclospora cayetanensis, and the progress of federal efforts to investigate and contain it," Sen. Ossoff wrote to Sec. Kennedy. "Your silence amidst an ongoing outbreak of diarrheal disease is indicative of the reckless arrogance with which you demolished America's public health defense."

Sen. Ossoff continues working to protect public health, the CDC, and its workforce.

In April, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock demanded answers from Secretary Kennedy after reports that the CDC Atlanta Campus is still in need of repairs and improvements following last year's shooting.

In March, Sen. Ossoff worked with Republicans and Democrats to ensure the CDC receives crucial funding to protect the American people, successfully defeating the Trump Administration's proposed 50% cut in funding for the CDC in the FY26 budget.

Last October, Sen. Ossoff led Georgia's Democratic Congressional Delegation in calling on Sec. Kennedy to answer for the chaos and disruption at the CDC that has marked his tenure, including the firings of CDC employees.

Last June, Sen. Ossoff spoke in the Appropriations Committee markup of the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education funding bill about bipartisan efforts to protect the CDC.

Also in June, Sen. Ossoff demanded answers from the Trump Administration following an NPR report that the CDC Program to prevent fentanyl overdoses had been frozen.

In 2025, Sen. Ossoff and other members of Congress demanded that the Trump Administration provide answers on the reported shutdown of a critical Maternal Health data system at the CDC.

Click here to read Sen. Ossoff's inquiry.

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