RICHARD E .NEAL , MASSACHUSETTS , Congress of the TEXAS , CHAIRMAN RANKING MEMBER

JOHN LEWIS , GEORGIA U . S . Houseof Representatives , CALIFORNIA , TEXAS , MIKE THOMPSON , CALIFORNIA ADRIAN SMITH , NEBRASKA JOHN B . LARSON , CONNECTICUT COMMITTEEON WAYS ANDMEANS KENNY MARCHANT, TEXAS , OREGON , NEW YORK , WISCONSIN 1102 HOUSEOFFICE BUILDING MIKE KELLY, PENNSYLVANIA JR ., NEW JERSEY GEORGE HOLDING , NORTH CAROLINA DANNY K DAVIS , ILLINOIS (202) 225 - 3625 , LINDA T . , CALIFORNIA , SOUTH CAROLINA , NEW YORK DC , ARIZONA TERRI A SEWELL , ALABAMA Washington, 20515 , INDIANA SUZAN DELBENE , WASHINGTON DARIN LAHOOD, ILLINOIS , CALIFORNIA http ://waysandmeans.house. gov BRAD R .WENSTRUP , OHIO , WISCONSIN , TEXAS , MICHIGAN DREW FERGUSON , GEORGIA , PENNSYLVANIA , KANSAS , VIRGINIA DWIGHT EVANS , PENNSYLVANIA GARY ANDRES , ILLINOIS MINORITY STAFF DIRECTOR TOM SUOZZI, NEW YORK , CALIFORNIA , FLORIDA JIMMYGOMEZ , CALIFORNIA , NEVADA

BRANDON CASEY February 27, 2020 MAJORITY STAFF DIRECTOR

Christi A . Grimm Principal Deputy Inspector General U . S . Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General 330 Independence Avenue , SW Washington , D . C . 20201

DearPrincipalDeputy InspectorGeneralGrimm ,

Wewrite to request that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of InspectorGeneral assist the Committee on Ways and Means (Committee) in investigating HHS' actions concerning the deployment of HHS non -healthcare personnel to repatriate American . citizens potentially exposed to COVID - 19 outside of the United States

and Families Werecentlybecameaware thatpersonnelin the Administrationfor Children (ACF) were ordered to enter quarantined areas earlier this month to assist in the repatriation of American citizens evacuated from Wuhan. These ACF employees reportedly were notprovided contact with proper training, protocols, or personalprotective equipment and were in direct individualsin the quarantinedareas. Itis also allegedthat, post-deployment, these employeeshave not been tested for COVID -19, quarantined, or monitored for symptoms. In fact, HHS has continuedto deploy them to repatriation sites around the country, heightening concernsabout transmissionofthe virus. Additionally, thereare alarmingreportsthat leadershipdisregardedvalid concernsexpressedby ACF staffand retaliatedagainststaff thatraisedthose concerns.

The Committee wants to be assured that HHS is taking every step possible to protect its ensure that employees , and the American public , from exposure to COVID - 19. We also want to and is not HHS is seriously addressing employees ' concerns about their health and safety . Therefore , endeavoring intimidate , impede, or retaliate against employees who raise concerns we respectfully ask that you conduct an investigation into all aspects of the deployment of ACF personnel to quarantined areas, including, but not limited to , an examination of the following issues : Principal Deputy Inspector General Grimm February 27, 2020 Page 2

1. Who made the decision to deploy ACF personnelto quarantined areas? Please provide their namesand titles.

2 . Prior to deployment,were ACF personnelgiven propertraining, instructed on appropriate safety protocols and precautions, and provided adequatepersonalprotectiveequipment?

3 . Post-deployment, did HHS require ACF personnel to adhere to any safety protocols to limit the risk oftransmittingCOVID- 19 to others?

4 . Have ACF employeesdeployed to quarantined areas been tested for COVID- 19 and are they beingmonitored for symptomsofinfection ?

5 . Have other ACF staff (who, for example , may have comeinto close contact those employees) beenmonitored, quarantined, ortested forCOVID - 19 ?

6 . DoesHHSplan to deploy ACF staff to quarantined areasin the future ?

7. Were any ACF employees intimidated , impeded, or retaliated against for raising concerns about this program ?

We respectfully request that you report to the Committee on the status and findings of this investigation within one week . Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

The Honofable Richard E . Neal The Honorable JimmyGomez Chairman