Reverse staff & budget cuts at EPA’s Office of Research & Development

The decision to shut down the EPA's Office of Research and Development is profoundly concerning as it undermines the agency's ability to carry out its congressionally mandated duty of protecting public health and the environment through rigorous, independent scientific research. This office played a vital role in studying the impacts of pollution, assessing chemical safety, monitoring water quality, and providing the scientific foundation for critical environmental regulations and safeguards. Without this internal scientific capacity, the EPA will be forced to rely on external research, much of which could be compromised by conflicts of interest and corporate influence. This represents an unacceptable erosion of public trust and a dereliction of the EPA's core responsibilities. I urge you to take immediate action to restore full funding for the Office of Research and Development, rehire the dismissed scientific staff, and reinstate the office's authority to conduct impartial research free from political interference. Robust, independent science must remain the bedrock of environmental policymaking to ensure the health and well-being of all Americans and uphold the integrity of our regulatory processes. The consequences of inaction put communities across the nation at heightened risk from unchecked pollution and unidentified toxic exposure. Prompt congressional intervention is imperative to rectify this grave misstep and reaffirm our nation's commitment to environmental protection grounded in sound, ethical science.