Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Topics on this page: Summary of Activities that Continue | Summary of Contingency Staffing Plan

Summary of Activities that Continue

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will continue protecting the health safety, and well-being of US citizens here and abroad by responding to disease and illness outbreaks, including influenza and the current Ebola and vaping-related illnesses outbreaks, continuing laboratory functions, and operating the agency's 24/7 emergency operations center. All vital activities related to imminent threats to human health or life will also continue. This includes ensuring current public health event response teams continue their important work in addressing immediate and ongoing public health needs in affected areas.

CDC will also continue providing specialized needed assistance and help through programs that are supported by mandatory funding or otherwise not impacted by a lapse in appropriations. These programs include: the World Trade Center Health Program, the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA), the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Summary of Contingency Staffing Plan

In the event of a lapse of appropriations, 5,053 (39%) of CDC staff will be retained including 2,517 (19%) who are exempt (their activities or position are already funded or otherwise exempt) and 2,536 (20%) who are excepted (their activities are deemed necessary by implication, or for the safety of human life or protection of property).

Exempt Staff:

A total of 2,517 (19%) of CDC's staff will be exempt. Exempt staff will support activities that have funding available during a lapse in appropriations. The activities with funding available include work for PEPFAR, CDC's Global AIDS program, the World Trade Center Health Program, Vaccines for Children (VFC), and Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act.

Excepted Staff:

A total of 2,536 (20%) CDC staff are considered excepted and can legally continue their activities in the absence of appropriations. These staff fall into three categories; 1) those whose work is necessary for the safety of human life, 2) those whose work is necessary for the protection of property, and 3) those whose work is "necessarily implied" from the authorized continuation of other activities or the need to phase down and suspend operations.

Excepted CDC staff will continue to perform vital tasks related to imminent threats to human health or life including responding to and managing disease and illness outbreaks, including those related to food safety and other critical public health emergencies as needed to protect the health and safety of Americans. These excepted staff will also be responsible for the protection and care of research participants and patients during clinical trial activities.

Excepted staff will also continue activities ensuring the protection of government research property, animals, and inanimate property.  Examples include the care and feeding of any animals associated with research activities, and maintaining research property used for regulatory science research such as high performance computational equipment.

Additionally staff will be considered exempt and continue to work if their duties are necessary to ensure the ongoing support and operations of funded activities, or if they are needed for the orderly phase down and suspension of non-funded activities. These CDC staff will continue to provide the necessary operational support to ensure the centers and offices can continue authorized and funded activities. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Officers will also continue working under this exception.