A Republican senator on Tuesday indicated disagreement with at least some of the firings and closures being made by the Trump administration in the name of efficiency.
In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) pushed back on decisions that cut an office and workers seeking to support coal miners’ health.
“I believe in the President’s vision to right size our government, but I do not think eliminating the NIOSH coal programs and research will accomplish that goal,” wrote Capito, referring to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
“I am concerned that the [reductions in force] at NIOSH will undermine the vital health programs important to so many West Virginians. I urge you to bring back the NIOSH employees immediately so they can continue to support our nation’s coal industry,” she added.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which houses NIOSH, conducted mass layoffs earlier this month that resulted in the firing of 10,000 employees.
CBS News reported that NIOSH lost 873 staffers. A union representing miners previously raised similar concerns, as mine workers can face severe lung issues.
It’s not clear whether the administration will reverse course, even amid GOP pushback. A spokesperson for HHS did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.
