John—

We did it! David Weldon’s nomination for Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been officially withdrawn after failing to secure enough support in the Senate. This is a huge victory for public health and reproductive freedom!

The National Women's Law Center has been leading the fight to stop David Weldon from wreaking any more havoc on our bodies and lives. Thank you for demanding your senators stop one of the most dangerous anti-abortion figures from taking a key leadership position in public health.

Weldon’s long record of attacking abortion access, spreading dangerous medical misinformation, and putting ideology over science made him completely unfit to lead the CDC. It’s no surprise he didn’t have the votes—the majority of people in the U.S. reject anti-abortion policies, and the Senate rightly refused to advance a nominee who would have undermined reproductive health, rights, and justice.

This victory shows the power of collective action and how we can stop harmful nominations when we unite. Thank you for being part of this critical fight.

-Bridget

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bridget Winkler
Date: March 7, 2025 10:19 AM
Subject: Demand the Senate reject Weldon’s nomination NOW!

Fighting for gender justice in the courts, in public policy, and in our society.
Justice for her. Justice for all.

Dear John,

David Weldon is the anti-abortion supervillain you’ve probably never heard of, and his record is as dangerous as they come. Weldon has spent his career undermining public health, reproductive rights, and vaccine safety. His nomination as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a clear threat to our health, our rights, and our future.

Tell the Senate to Reject Weldon for Director of CDC!

Weldon is a threat to public health and is unfit to lead as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

TAKE ACTION

Here’s why we must stop his confirmation immediately:

The Weldon Amendment: As a former congressman, Weldon authored the dangerous Weldon Amendment, which has threatened efforts to expand abortion access for over 20 years. This harmful amendment emboldens discrimination, allowing health care providers, insurers, and hospitals to deny abortion care based on personal beliefs rather than patient health, undermining medical best practices and putting lives at risk.
Anti-vaccine misinformation: Weldon has spent his career spreading debunked conspiracy theories, including the false claims that “vaccines cause autism” and “abortion causes breast cancer.”
Threat to reproductive rights: Weldon has repeatedly voted to defund Planned Parenthood and supported harmful bills that would criminalize abortion and force health care providers to tell patients false and misleading information about abortion.
Weaponizing abortion data: As CDC Director, Weldon could enforce the recommendations of Project 2025 to mandate state reporting of abortion data, including gathering information such as the states of residence of those seeking abortions; their reasons for seeking abortions; and the methods of abortion care they received. Tracking this abortion data would increase the threat of criminalization that disproportionately targets marginalized communities, and it would lead to more government intrusion into health care decisions.

Weldon isn’t just an extremist on abortion—he is a public health hazard. With outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu, whooping cough, and measles already putting lives at risk, the last thing we need is an anti-vaxxer leading the CDC. Just last week, a child in West Texas tragically died from one of these preventable diseases.

Weldon’s nomination would be a grave risk for everyone, especially those who already struggle to access care. Demand the Senate reject Weldon’s nomination for CDC Director NOW!

For justice,

Bridget Winkler
she/her/hers
Counsel, Federal Abortion Policy
National Women's Law Center

DONATE

Please forward this email to your friends and co-workers and encourage them to sign up to receive NWLC emails in their own inboxes.

National Women's Law Center
1350 I St NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC xxxxxx
United States