US agency staff told not to speak with Congress, lawmaker says

By Leah Douglas

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Staff at the U.S. farm, environment and interior agencies have been instructed by the Trump administration not to speak with the U.S. Congress, Representative Chellie Pingree said in a letter sent to the agency administrators on Thursday.

Pingree, a Democrat, said the disruption in communication strayed from longstanding relationships with agency staff that provide information critical to Congressional decision-making.

"These staff have always conducted themselves in a professional way with integrity. Unfortunately, nearly all communication has stopped since President (Donald) Trump took office. My understanding is that these staff have been directed not to communicate with Congress," Pingree wrote in letters sent to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.

Interior Department spokesperson J. Elizabeth Peace said the agency does not comment on congressional communications.

An EPA spokesperson said the agency was reviewing the letter.

The USDA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Pingree is the top Democrat on the House of Representatives appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Interior, Environment and related agencies.

The letters expressed "outrage" at the firings of thousands of federal workers across the three agencies and requested information by February 27 on the number of terminations and a breakdown by program office, location and other details.

"The chaotic manner in which these mass firings were executed will only make the federal government more inefficient," the letters said.

Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has fired thousands of federal workers in a matter of days.

(Reporting by Leah Douglas; Additional reporting by Valerie Volcovici and Nichola Groom; Editing by Sandra Maler and Diane Craft)