NIH Vigils Newsletter 8/31/2025
Updates for the Week of 8/24-30/2025
Shakeup at the CDC
CDC Director Susan Monarez was fired for refusing to rubber stamp non-scientific vaccine policy. She is fighting the dismissal in court. Four high-level career CDC officials resigned in protest, and hundreds of CDC employees gathered outside to clap them out. This comes after 600+ staffers were laid off in mid-August, including ~100 from violence prevention, less than 2 weeks after a gunman opened fire on CDC buildings and killed Officer David Rose. The new acting CDC Director is Jim O’Neill, an anti-vaxxer ally of RFK, Jr., and Peter Thiel, who has no medical or scientific expertise. Even Republicans are alarmed, and there are increasing calls for RFK, Jr.’s resignation.
Fed Dissent and Retaliation
FEMA is the latest federal agency to issue a declaration of dissent, joining NIH, EPA, NSF, NASA, and CDC. The letter warns about the potential for catastrophic consequences of future natural disasters due to policy changes enacted by the Trump administration. The government has retaliated, putting FEMA signers on administrative leave. At least 8 EPA signers were also fired.
ACTION ALERT: Sign on to the FEMA letter
SCOTUS Ruling Update - Win!
Last week, SCOTUS allowed illegal grant terminations. This week NIH Office of General Counsel strongly recommended against re-terminating grants, “because it will likely be viewed as a reapplication of the now-vacated Challenged Directives.” This is good news for researchers whose grants were reinstated.
Attacks on Universities Continue
The House Education and Workforce Committee launched an investigation into “antisemitism” at UCLA, UCSF, and University of Illinois Medical School. The findings may be used to freeze federal funding at these institutions. UCLA has already had NIH funds frozen.
Attacks on Unions Continue
HHS terminated employee union contracts including at FDA, CDC, and NIH (NIAID). Employees were quietly converted from eligible to join a union bargaining unit to ineligible. This follows similar moves at VA, USDA, USCIS, and US Coast Guard.
Pocket Rescission Against Foreign Aid
Our fears about a pocket rescission were finally realized—not for NIH, but for foreign aid. This is illegal and will likely face court challenges but may ultimately be rubber stamped by SCOTUS.
What Can You Do?
Submit a comment regarding the EPA Deregulation of Endangerment Finding. The Endangerment Finding is a 2009 declaration that says carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are a health threat, giving the EPA the legal power to regulate them. It enables regulations under the Clean Air Act for things like cars and power plants. The EPA administrator (Lee Zeldin) is a huge climate denier and is calling reversal of the Endangerment Finding the "largest deregulatory action in the history of America." The comment period has been extended to September 22. Suggested talking points at the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health.
Read and sign on to federal agency dissent letters, including FEMA’s new Katrina Declaration.
Continue to call Congress including HELP, Energy and Commerce, and Appropriations Committee members - it does help!
Stay aware of everything happening and share with your friends, family, and neighbors.
Join us weekly, volunteer to help, and spread the word about the NIH Vigils and 27 uNIHted.
Join our Signal chat for updates on NIH Vigils, important developments, and community. Email nihmemorials@proton.me or nihaction@gmail.com with your Signal user name to be added to the chat. You can also email us to be added to the newsletter email list or to send comments or questions.
Please share this information with people and groups you think would be interested.
Keep up the good trouble, and stay safe out there.
In solidarity,
NIH Vigils
Saturdays, 10 am, Medical Center Metro Station