1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing as your constituent to demand immediate congressional oversight and action regarding the unlawful withholding of funds and destruction of agency capacity at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). AHRQ does not conduct theoretical science—it is the only federal agency dedicated exclusively to making everyday healthcare safer, more effective, and less wasteful. AHRQ-funded research created the hospital safety checklists that saved tens of thousands of lives from fatal bloodstream infections, pioneered protocols to reduce surgical and diagnostic errors, and established vital standards to reduce maternal and infant mortality. Recent executive actions directly jeopardize American patient safety and violate Article I constitutional authority: - Unlawful Impoundment of Funds: Congress explicitly appropriated $345 million for AHRQ in fiscal year 2026. Yet HHS has withheld nearly all of it—spending less than $15 million on grants and issuing zero new awards in over a year. Refusing to obligate congressionally mandated funds violates the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 and infringes on Congress's power of the purse.
 - Abrupt Cancellation of Active Research: By issuing mass form-letter cancellations to over 100 active, multi-year research grants mid-study, HHS is forcing hospitals and universities to abandon clinical trials and lay off specialized research staff.
 - Destruction of Agency Capacity: Slashing roughly 80% of AHRQ’s staff—including nearly all extramural grant managers—cripples our nation’s ability to monitor hospital error rates, oversee projects, and improve care delivery.
 When the executive branch unilaterally withholds funds intended to prevent medical errors and protect patients, Congress must assert its constitutional authority. I urge you to take immediate legislative action: 1. Demand Immediate Reinstatement: Call on HHS leadership to restore terminated AHRQ research grants and disburse the full $345 million appropriated by Congress.
 2. Launch Formal Oversight Hearings: Direct the House Energy & Commerce and Senate HELP Committees to investigate the unlawful impoundment of health research funds and staffing cuts at AHRQ.
 3. Enforce the Impoundment Control Act: Hold executive officials accountable for defying statutory funding mandates enacted by Congress.
 Patient safety research saves American lives and lowers healthcare costs. I expect you to defend the power of the purse and protect our healthcare system.