# 119-hr-3136: Protect our Public Health Workforce Act

119-hr-3136, Protect our Public Health Workforce Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44] (D-CA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3136
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-3136
- Congress: 119
- Title: Protect our Public Health Workforce Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-05-01
- Sponsor: Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44] (D-CA)
- Cosponsors: 8
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**This bill would create reinstatement and backpay for affected CDC employees** removed or dismissed between January 20, 2025 and the date of enactment. It would also require regular reporting to Congress on those personnel actions through January 20, 2029. - Affected CDC employees could elect to be reinstated to the same or an equivalent position and receive backpay under the federal backpay statute 5 U.S.C. 5596. - The CDC Director would have to submit a report within 60 days of enactment and then every three months, listing the number of removals, the job title and description for each case, and the reason for each removal or dismissal. - Reports would go to the House Committees on Oversight and Government Reform and on Energy and Commerce and to the Senate Committees on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. The reporting requirement ends on January 20, 2029.

## Cosponsors (8)

- Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7] (D-CA), 2025-05-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2025-05-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-05-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12] (D-NC), 2025-05-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12] (D-NJ), 2025-05-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4] (D-IL), 2025-05-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3] (D-PA), 2025-05-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1] (D-CT), 2025-07-21T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Rehire and back pay for CDC staff: benefit, high. If enacted, CDC federal employees who were involuntarily removed without cause between January 20, 2025 and the date this bill becomes law could ask to be rehired. You could return to the same job or an equivalent one. If you choose reinstatement, you would be owed back pay and benefits under 5 U.S…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-5361: George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2025
- 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-hr-2086: Rights for the TSA Workforce Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-3136 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3136)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-5361: George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5361)
- [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [119-hr-2086: Rights for the TSA Workforce Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2086)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3136 (as of 2026-04-21).