Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2023
Key claim: The Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2023 would establish a CDC National Center on Antiracism and Health and a law enforcement violence prevention program to address racism as a public health crisis through data collection, research, and grant programs.
Abstract
(HR2904 · 118th Congress) Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2023 This bill establishes within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) a National Center on Antiracism and Health and a law enforcement violence prevention program. In particular, the new center must carry out various activities to address racism and its impact on health and well-being. This includes declaring racism a public health crisis, collecting and analyzing data, and administering research and grant programs. Additionally, the bill specifically directs the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, in coordination with the Department of Justice and other relevant stakeholders, to implement the law enforcement violence prevention program by conducting research and supporting other activities pertaining to law enforcement violence and public health. Latest action (2023-04-28): Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Why this matters
The bill would formally designate racism as a public health crisis within federal statute and stand up a permanent CDC center to study and fund interventions, marking a shift from ad hoc research toward institutionalized infrastructure. For affected communities, the practical effect would depend on funding levels and grant priorities, but the framing itself carries policy weight — connecting civil rights disparities in health, policing, and social determinants to established public health authorities.