The city called CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, who would typically provide guidence on testing, both for the students and for the lead, etc… but their request was denied.
From Vox:
In early April, the Trump administration denied Milwaukee’s request for support because there was no longer anybody on the government’s payroll who could provide the lead poisoning expertise the city needs.
So RFK closed that program.
Or did he?
This article outlines his waffling on the subject:
At an event a few days after that, an ABC News reporter asked Kennedy about that lead team being cut. “There were some programs that were cuts that are being reinstated. I believe that that’s one of those,” he said.
Not so, CDC staff that had worked on that team told NPR, as none of them had heard anything about being reinstated. Kennedy’s own communications staff at HHS also told ABC, “The personnel for that current division, of how it exists now, are not being reinstated. The work will continue elsewhere at HHS.”
but the fact remains, no one has been reinstated. The job has not been reassigned, and Milwaukee is on their own.
Vox article
RFK is either a liar, or ignorant about his own department.
So this wasn’t known during the Biden Administration? All of this has been exposed in the last few months? I think not!
That said, regarding this…I saw cases of lead poisoning happen in Flint, Michigan several years ago. I’d guess that these systems using lead in the pipes was done during a time of ignorance regarding this potential poisoning and should be addressed nationally. All of us…both sides…should be united in fixing this serious problem.
Normally, cities navigating such a crisis could depend on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for federal support. When the lead poisoning was first detected in January, at the tail end of the Biden administration, city health officials were immediately in contact with the CDC environmental health team, which included several of the country’s top lead poisoning experts, Milwaukee health commissioner Mike Totoraitis told me. A group of federal experts were planning a trip to the city at the end of April.
But not anymore. In early April, the Trump administration denied Milwaukee’s request for support because there was no longer anybody on the government’s payroll who could provide the lead poisoning expertise the city needs.
RelatedAmerica does a terrible job tracking how many kids have lead poisoning
On April 1, the lead exposure team within the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health was laid off as part of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s massive restructuring of the federal health department. The planned trip was canceled, and no federal officials have stepped foot in Milwaukee since to aid in the response.
“We were talking to [the federal experts] multiple times each week,” Totoraitis said, “before they were let go.”
Milwaukee has pushed ahead with its own inspection and free blood testing clinics. The city reported on May 13 that it had replaced 10,000 lead water service lines, in an attempt to remove another possible source of exposure for local children. But they still have 55,000 more left to go, and local officials have said they would need state or federal funding to finish the job. (It is estimated to cost the city about $630 million.)
Ordinarily, Totoraitis said, the CDC experts would serve as the city’s subject matter experts, guiding them through their epidemiological investigations. Federal officials are especially adept at the detective work that can determine whether a child was exposed at home or at the school. Milwaukee officials had recent experience with lead exposures in homes but not in schools; they were relying on federal expertise to interpret lead dust levels that were found during the school inspections. Without them, they’ve been left to navigate a novel and dangerous health threat on their own.
This is a ridiculous article by VOX. The CDC isn’t in the game of lead abatement. It’s done through places like HUD and can even go through dept of education for funding purposes.
Normally, cities navigating such a crisis could depend on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for federal support. When the lead poisoning was first detected in January, at the tail end of the Biden administration, city health officials were immediately in contact with the CDC environmental health team, which included several of the country’s top lead poisoning experts, Milwaukee health commissioner Mike Totoraitis told me. A group of federal experts were planning a trip to the city at the end of April.
No you are missing the point. The box article concentrates on communications between Milwaukee and the CDC and not any other federal agency…. It doesn’t mean that they haven’t been dealing with the EPA or HUD.
This isn’t being smarter than the city of Milwaukee. This is being fed nonsense by VOX.
Ordinarily, Totoraitis said, the CDC experts would serve as the city’s subject matter experts, guiding them through their epidemiological investigations. Federal officials are especially adept at the detective work that can determine whether a child was exposed at home or at the school.
Because the issue in Milwaukee is the removal of lead from schools. The poisonings themselves are dealt with by local hospitals. Does the article (it doesn’t) describe overwhelmed pedicatric medical care facilities with kids suffering from lead poisoning?
RFK doesn’t seem to know if he closed the department or not.
Last week in a congressional budget hearing, Kennedy was asked about the cuts by Baldwin. “Do you intend to eliminate this branch at CDC?” she asked.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies before the Senate HELP Committee Wednesday. He faced questions about vaccines, measles and cuts to biomedical research.
Health Care
RFK Jr. stands by deep cuts to health budget during contentious hearings
Kennedy responded, “No, we do not.” He also said he thought lead poisoning in children was an “extremely significant concern.”
On Tuesday, Kennedy appeared before a different Senate committee, and Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., asked Kennedy to clarify what was going on. “As far as we can tell, staff has not yet been hired, and I’ve seen no statements reversing your decision to eliminate the program.”
So, Reed said, “Which is it?”
Kennedy responded: “We are continuing to fund the program.” He later added, “my understanding is that program is continuing,” and he offered to talk to Reed after the hearing to “find out what the details are.”
