The Trump administration's job cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services have resulted in the elimination of FOIA teams responsible for providing public access to government health records. This move, criticized by experts, particularly impacts transparency as mandated by Congress. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promised "radical transparency," yet critics, including former officials, view the layoffs as counterproductive to this ideal, predicting significant delays in processing records requests which undermine public trust in federal health agencies.
The layoffs of FOIA staff will "exponentially" increase backlogs and delays for health-related public records requests, he predicts. "Firing your staff is antithetical to openness and transparency."
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has promised "radical transparency," but the firings suggest that promise is a "lie," says Jason R. Baron.
They are the American people's records, and there should be adequate FOIA staff to make sure that record requests are answered promptly.
Under Secretary Kennedy's vision for a more efficient HHS, these offices will be streamlined, and the work will continue.
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