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SRES 848

A resolution celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the premier public health institute of the United States.

119th Congress Introduced by Jon Ossoff and 1 co-sponsor

The bill formally honors the CDC’s 80th anniversary and endorses its public health mission and ongoing global and domestic public health work.

Submitted in Senate
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Bill Summary · SRES 848

Summary of S. Res. 848 (118th Congress) – Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the CDC

Purpose and Intent

  • A Senate resolution commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States’ premier public health institute.
  • Honors the CDC’s history, mission, and contributions to U.S. and global public health, while recognizing challenges and reaffirming support for its continued critical role.

Key Provisions and Provisions of the Resolution

  • Acknowledges that the CDC celebrated its 80th anniversary on July 1, 2026, and traces its origins to the establishment of the Communicable Disease Center in 1946 in Atlanta, Georgia.
  • Highlights the CDC’s growth from under 400 employees to roughly 13,000 employees across more than 60 countries as of early 2025.
  • Enumerates major public health achievements attributed to the CDC, including:
    • Eradication of smallpox in 1980.
    • Prevention of over 1.1 million deaths through the Vaccines for Children program (1994–2023).
    • Control of numerous outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fevers.
    • Contributed influence on reducing drug overdoses via surveillance, guidelines, and targeted programs.
    • Impact of the Tips From Former Smokers campaign, which helped about 1,000,000 individuals quit smoking and potentially prevented ~129,000 premature deaths.
    • Leadership in research on HIV/AIDS, TB, injuries, chronic diseases, zoonotic diseases, and environmental health.
    • Public health guidance for safe pregnancies, environmental/occupational health, and injury/disease prevention.
    • Financial and technical support to states, territories, Tribes, and local health organizations to improve disease monitoring and emergency preparedness (e.g., Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program).
    • Efforts to bridge rural health gaps through outreach, screenings, and workforce training in underserved communities.
    • Training and recruitment of leading epidemiologists and public health experts via fellowship and internship programs.
    • Role as a key implementer of PEPFAR in collaboration with the Department of State, credited with saving more than 26 million lives from HIV globally since 2003.
    • International collaboration to strengthen disease surveillance, laboratory systems, and outbreak response.
    • Worldwide commitment of CDC employees to data-driven research and public health interventions.

Specific Incident Mentioned

  • References the August 8, 2025 shooting attack at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, noting the death of Officer David Rose and damage to the campus, and acknowledging the impact on CDC staff and the broader public health community.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Sponsor and Co-sponsors: Introduced by Senator Warnock (for himself and Senator Ossoff) with Senators Ossoff and Warnock as co-sponsors.
  • Status: Referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on August 8, 2026.
  • Action Requested: The resolution states that the Secretary of the Senate should transmit an enrolled copy to the Director of the CDC.

Potential Impact and Interpretive Notes

  • This is a commemorative, non-binding Senate resolution that recognizes the CDC’s history, achievements, and ongoing mission.
  • It signals congressional support and solidarity with the CDC and its workforce, particularly in the context of the 2025 shooting incident.
  • While it does not create new policy or funding authorities by itself, it may be cited to reflect bipartisan appreciation and to underscore the importance of public health infrastructure and preparedness.

Who or What Would Be Affected

  • Primarily the CDC, its workforce, and public health partners (states, territories, Tribes, local health organizations), by formal recognition and moral support.
  • Indirectly, it reinforces congressional support for the CDC’s public health missions, including preparedness programs, surveillance, and international health collaboration.

If you’d like, I can compare this resolution to related votes or provide a brief historical context of the CDC’s milestones referenced in the text.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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