Republicans challenge memo restricting health officials' talks with Congress

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Source: The Guardian

Republicans challenge memo restricting health officials' talks with Congress

GOP lawmakers condemn ‘potentially illegal’ requirement
that health department workers must check with bosses
before communicating with Hill

Jessica Glenza in New York
Wednesday 10 May 2017 16.48 BST

A federal health department memo telling employees they must consult with management before “any communications with members of Congress” was called “potentially illegal and unconstitutional” by two Republican congressmen, who said it could deter whistleblowers from coming forward.

Chuck Grassley and Jason Chaffetz “obtained” a copy from the health and human services department (HHS) and sent it on to the health secretary, Tom Price.

“Federal employees will most certainly read this instruction as a prohibition against direct communications with Congress without permission,” Grassley and Chaffetz wrote to Price, requesting more information about the policy. “As such, it is potentially illegal and unconstitutional, and will likely chill protected disclosures of waste, fraud, and abuse.”

Grassley is chairman of the Senate judiciary committee and Chaffetz of the House committee on oversight and government reform.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/10/health-department-memo-congress-republicans

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