Today, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) demanded that the Trump administration reverse staff cuts which have resulted in the abrupt discontinuation of an important investigation into toxic exposure at Poe Hall at North Carolina State University (NC State). The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) opened a study in February 2024 after high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) — toxic chemicals linked to cancer — were detected at the facility. Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently terminated 85% of NIOSH personnel, effectively ending the study.

Congresswoman Ross wrote: “NIOSH has long helped ensure that workers have a safe and healthy environment in which to perform their duties. Since the inception of NIOSH, workplace fatalities and injuries have declined significantly, in part thanks to the institute’s recommendations and guidelines. This past weekend, over 100 current and former NIOSH employees sent a letter warning of the serious consequences of the RIF, writing that ‘more workers will suffer preventable deaths, illnesses, and injuries.’ Their warning underscores the critical importance of NIOSH’s mission – especially as the modern workplace continues to evolve, presenting new and complex occupational health and safety challenges that require the institute’s continued expertise and oversight.”

She continued: “Your reduction in force at this essential agency has put the health and safety of my constituents and workers nationwide at risk. Again, I strongly urge you to reconsider your drastic cuts to this agency, and to prioritize safer workplaces, healthier workers, and a better future for North Carolinians and all Americans.”

The full letter is available here.