Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Urge Administration to Reinstate EPA Employees Retaliated Against for Exercising Free Speech Rights
Washington, DC– U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley (both D-Ore.) said today they have joined 15 Senate colleagues in pressing the federal Environmental Protection Agency to reinstate employees placed on administrative leave after signing a “Declaration of Dissent” expressing concern with the agency’s direction under the Trump administration.
“We write to you with deep concerns regarding recent reporting that you placed more than 140 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees on administrative leave after they signed a ‘Declaration of Dissent’ on June 30, 2025,” the senators wrote EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “Federal employees are permitted to speak out on matters of public concern in their personal capacities, and even when they do so in dissent, the First Amendment protects their speech.”
“In fact, across the federal government, federal agencies have developed mechanisms to ensure federal workers can express alternative viewpoints without fear of reprisal, understanding that dissent improves policy outcomes, increases accountability, and improves morale; in that spirit, the EPA employees sought to raise issues of public concern to senior officials,” the senators wrote. “We urge you to restore these employees to active service immediately and affirm your employees’ ability to express their viewpoints without fear of retaliation, because debate and dissent are valuable policymaking tools.”
In addition to Wyden and Merkley, others signing the letter led by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) included Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), (Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
A copy of the letter is here.
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