Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Sen. Ron Wyden Seeks Answers on RFK Jr.'s Purge of FOIA Staff -- KFF Health News
https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/foia-staff-purge-health-agencies-rfk-jr-senator-ron-wyden-oregon/By Rachana Pradhan
The Department of Health and Human Services’ mass dismissals of workers who release government records “raise grave transparency, accountability, and privacy concerns,” Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden said Thursday.
In a May 8 letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. provided exclusively to KFF Health News, Wyden, the top Democrat on the powerful Senate Finance Committee, wrote that “it is hard to square your commitment to radical transparency” with HHS’ firing of workers who handled Freedom of Information Act requests.
. . .
Wyden wrote in his letter that federal health agencies handle “exceptionally sensitive information,” such as proprietary details about drugs and medical devices, and personally identifiable information about minors. “In either case, non-experts responding to FOIA requests jeopardizes this information,” he wrote.
“I am extremely concerned about the detrimental impact that FOIA office closures will have on HHS’s ability to comply with this powerful government accountability tool,” Wyden wrote.
In a May 8 letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. provided exclusively to KFF Health News, Wyden, the top Democrat on the powerful Senate Finance Committee, wrote that “it is hard to square your commitment to radical transparency” with HHS’ firing of workers who handled Freedom of Information Act requests.
. . .
Wyden wrote in his letter that federal health agencies handle “exceptionally sensitive information,” such as proprietary details about drugs and medical devices, and personally identifiable information about minors. “In either case, non-experts responding to FOIA requests jeopardizes this information,” he wrote.
“I am extremely concerned about the detrimental impact that FOIA office closures will have on HHS’s ability to comply with this powerful government accountability tool,” Wyden wrote.