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Two months ago the Trump Administration announced a plan to relocate two USDA agencies across the country to Kansas City.
The civil servants at those science and research agencies, @USDA_ERS and @USDA_NIFA, were told to move their families across the country or be fired. 1/
The civil servants at those science and research agencies, @USDA_ERS and @USDA_NIFA, were told to move their families across the country or be fired. 1/
@USDA_ERS @USDA_NIFA The federal workers at those agencies warned of a devastating loss of experience and expertise that would happen if the move took place: "This is an attack on science and rigorous economic research that informs policies that affect every American..." 2/ nbcnews.com/politics/polit…
@USDA_ERS @USDA_NIFA Elected leaders from the DC region and across the country immediately responded with firm opposition. As we pointed out, this wasn't good policy and it wasn't fair to the dedicated workers at those agencies. 3/
@USDA_ERS @USDA_NIFA Then Trump's Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney, speaking to rich donors, admitted that this was the point. His odious remarks showed disgust and disdain for a federal workforce it is his job lead. This is what incompetent, horrible leadership looks like. 4/ washingtonpost.com/science/2019/0… 
@USDA_ERS @USDA_NIFA But even as Mick Mulvaney talked about "draining the swamp," these agencies were without a chief scientist. Their first nominee who had no scientific background withdrew after being implicated in the Mueller investigation. Their next nominee was an executive at Dow Chemical. 5/
@USDA_ERS @USDA_NIFA In the House we vowed to use the appropriations process to bar the unpopular move to Kansas City. A review by the USDA's Inspector General found that the Department had failed to obtain Congressional approval for the move required by law. 6/ usda.gov/oig/webdocs/91…
@USDA_ERS @USDA_NIFA Far from obtaining Congressional approval, in fact, USDA has completely ignored requests for information about the move from Members of Congress. As with much the rest of the Trump Administration, they seem to think that they are above the law. 7/
@USDA_ERS @USDA_NIFA Worse, despite the opposition of Congress and the findings of their own Inspector General, the USDA and Trump Administration are about to send out notices to hundreds of these rank-and-file employees that they will be fired. This is so wrong. 8/
@USDA_ERS @USDA_NIFA It's wrong to treat rank-and-file workers like garbage. And intentionally making their lives miserable so that they will quit or be fired will have profound, terrible effects on the lives of Americans who don't even know that these agencies exist. 9/
@USDA_ERS @USDA_NIFA We in Congress are going to keep fighting against this injustice, but it's important that people know that this is happening. Your government is doing this to people who work for you, over the objections of your representatives. It's just awful. 10/10
