Staff at multiple agencies instructed not to speak to Congress, says Democrat
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) sent several letters Thursday to various federal agency heads seeking answers regarding directives banning employees from speaking to Congress.
“The Committee on Appropriations has a longstanding relationship with Agency career staff who are integral to providing the data used to inform our decisions,” she wrote in separate letters to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin.
"These staff have always conducted themselves in a professional way with integrity," the Democratic lawmaker added.
“Unfortunately, nearly all communication has stopped since President Trump took office. My understanding is that these staff have been directed not to communicate with Congress.”
Pingree, a ranking member of the House Appropriations Interior and Environment Subcommittee, took issue with the recent firing of U.S. Forest Service employees.
She said the firings threatened the ability of agencies “to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of both present and future generations.”
In her letters, the representative requested a detailed report outlining a breakdown of terminations and current vacancies.
“Oversight of the executive branch is one of Congress's main responsibilities, and the Department’s utter lack of transparency is unacceptable. It is clear to me that this reckless and indiscriminate purge of public servants will have lasting harmful effects,” the Maine lawmaker stated.
“The chaotic manner in which these mass firings were executed will only make the federal government more inefficient. Ultimately, when the federal government fails to deliver services, it will be the American people who suffer.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Interior Department did not immediately respond to The Hill’s requests for comment.
The EPA said it is "reviewing the letter and will respond through the appropriate channels."
Updated at 10:55 a.m. EST.
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