A group of 34 Democratic senators, including Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Bernie Sanders, have raised concerns over the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) freeze on external communications and funding. The senators sent a letter to Acting Secretary Dorothy Fink, expressing deep worry about the disruption caused by the abrupt order, impacting patient care, public health oversight, medical research funding, and regulatory processes.

HHS issued a memo on Jan. 21, pausing most external communication until documents are approved by a presidential appointee. Despite the initial deadline passing, the restrictions remain uncertain, severely affecting public health and biomedical research functions. Notably, the CDC failed to release its weekly publication, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, for two weeks, a rare occurrence.

While some external communications have been approved for critical health and safety needs, concerns persist about missing or altered data. Delays in grant decisions at the National Institutes of Health and a pause in clinical studies recruitment further highlight the impact of the freeze. The senators demand a comprehensive account of postponed or canceled communications by Feb. 10, emphasizing the critical role of HHS in providing accurate information to the public.

Additionally, a separate group of Democratic senators, led by Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner, raised similar funding concerns in a separate letter to HHS. Despite a court order blocking the funding freeze, health centers reliant on federal funds continue to face confusion and uncertainty, with inadequate guidance from the administration. The senators underscore the importance of clarity and communication in ensuring the continuity of essential healthcare services.