1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

I am writing as a deeply concerned citizen regarding the continued weakening of federal agencies under this administration and the influence of officials such as Russell Vought, whose agenda appears focused on shrinking and destabilizing the federal workforce instead of strengthening it. Recent whistleblower reports involving the FAA are alarming. According to reporting and disclosures sent to Congress, serious staffing shortages and medical certification backlogs may have affected the oversight of pilots and air traffic controllers responsible for public safety. The FAA reportedly had to rapidly increase medical staffing after whistleblower concerns exposed dangerous delays and operational strain. This should be a wake-up call. Federal agencies are not abstract bureaucracies. They are the systems that keep airplanes safe, inspect food and medicine, respond to disasters, protect workers, defend national security, and ensure the basic functioning of our country. When experienced civil servants are pushed out, offices are understaffed, and agencies are treated as enemies instead of institutions serving the American people, the result is a weaker and less capable government. Russell Vought and others advocating for aggressive dismantling of the administrative state are not making America stronger. They are undermining institutional expertise, weakening oversight, and increasing the risk of preventable failures. Americans should not have to wait for a tragedy before Congress takes this seriously. I urge you to defend the independence and functionality of federal agencies, support career civil servants, strengthen whistleblower protections, and conduct aggressive oversight into staffing shortages and operational risks across critical agencies like the FAA. The American people deserve a government that functions effectively and protects public safety — not one intentionally hollowed out for ideological purposes. Thank you for your time and attention.