Energy and Commerce Committee Democratic leaders wrote to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jayanta Bhattacharya today to remind the Trump Administration officials that any retaliation against the 342 NIH staff who signed a public whistleblower letter released yesterday is illegal and will not be tolerated by Congress.

The letter was signed by Full Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Diana DeGette (D-CO), and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY).

“We also write to remind you that any attempt by HHS, NIH, or any other federal entity to retaliate against any of the letter’s signatories would be illegal,” the Democratic Committee leaders wrote. “The Whistleblower Protection Act protects individuals like the signers of the Bethesda Declaration who provide information to Congress and others about gross mismanagement, gross waste of federal funds, abuse of authority, and danger to public health and safety.”

Yesterday, hundreds of current and recently fired NIH employees released the "Bethesda Declaration" in which they expressed deep concerns to Director Bhattacharya about the direction NIH has taken under President Trump.

Text of the Letter:

Dear Secretary Kennedy and Director Bhattacharya:

Yesterday, we received a letter signed by 342 National Institutes of Health (NIH) staff detailing unprecedented...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMizwFBVV95cUxOMzNSWXUxajNmcXF2dURyaDNY...