As the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), I was proud to see the Agency through its 60th year, a milestone for the Agency and for public health. The world has changed drastically since CDC was founded in 1946, when the major threats to the public’s health were infectious diseases. Today, we must continue to combat emerging and re-emerging infectious disease threats, as well as other urgent threats such as terrorism and pandemic influenza.

But our reality in the 21st Century also requires us to overcome complacency and address other urgent problems that we’ve come to accept: chronic disease, injuries, environmental and workplace hazards. I am committed to balancing CDC’s portfolio by addressing both urgent threats and the urgent realities that threaten our health and well being.

I am pleased to present the fiscal year (FY) 2008 Congressional Justification and continue to appreciate the support and focus Congress places on promoting public health. As I reflect over the past five years, I am proud of the advancements we have made in preparing for urgent threats while continuing to combat urgent realities, such as the obesity epidemic and the dramatic increases in related conditions and costs. As I consider our investments, I stress the importance of Agency-wide health protection goals and the ability to direct investments to areas that demonstrate the greatest public health impact. We have made significant progress with our four health protection goals:

People – achieve optimal health during every life stage for all people, especially those at greatest risk for health disparities

Places – promote and protect health and safety in the places where people live, work, learn, and play

Preparedness – protect people in all communities from infectious, environmental, occupational, and terrorist threats

Global Health – ensure health promotion, health protection, and health diplomacy.

As CDC operates in an environment of increased fiscal accountability, the Agency’s budget request reflects the federal focus on aligning budget decisions with programmatic performance data. The Agency recently implemented a new tool to link program performance and budget information. CDC will continue to use this tool in future years to better connect performance with the budget process.

CDC’s FY 2008 budget request reflects the six strategic imperatives the Agency identified to support effective implementation of its goals. These strategic imperatives, along with the health protection goals, align with the priorities of both the President and Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including the President’s Management Agenda and the HHS FY 2005-2010 Strategic Plan.

• Health Impact Focus. Align CDC’s staff, strategies, goals, investments, and performance to maximize our impact on people’s health and safety.

• Customer-Centricity. Market what people want and need to choose health.

• Public Health Research. Create and disseminate the knowledge and innovations that people need to protect their health now and in the future.

• Leadership. Leverage CDC’s unique capabilities, partnerships, and networks to improve the health system.

• Global Health Impact. Extend CDC’s knowledge and tools to promote health protection around the world.

• Accountability. Sustain people’s trust and confidence by making the most efficient and effective use of their investments in CDC.

This FY 2008 budget request highlights our accomplishments, conveys our vision, and reflects a strategic approach to FY 2008 that protects and enhances the public’s health.