Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) released the following statement on the Trump administration’s plans to fire an additional 10,000 dedicated federal employees at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), after 10,000 workers have already been fired or left the agency:

“Today’s mass firings will endanger the health and safety of millions of Americans – from sick children relying on life-saving NIH research to new moms who depend on Medicaid. Cutting 10,000 federal employees who have dedicated their careers to public health is not only cruel, it will also have grave, widespread consequences in North Carolina and across the country.

“For years, Donald Trump has waged war on our country’s health care workforce. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he lied about how to combat the pandemic and discredited respected public health professionals. Now, the Trump administration is lying directly to the American people when top officials arbitrarily fire large numbers of public servants and then claim that essential services won’t be affected.

“My Democratic colleagues and I will fight these dangerous actions in every way we can – but it’s time for Congressional Republicans to join us and finally speak out.”