A top Democrat said the White House is blocking all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials from testifying in front of his panel.
Rep. Bobby Scott, the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, said his invitation for CDC Director Robert Redfield, or a designee, to testify next Thursday in front of the committee about how to reopen schools safely during the coronavirus pandemic is being stonewalled by the Trump administration.
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“It is alarming that the Trump Administration is preventing the CDC from appearing before the Committee at a time when its expertise and guidance is so critical to the health and safety of students, parents, and educators,” the Virginia Democrat said in a statement on Friday. “This lack of transparency does a great disservice to the many communities across the country facing difficult decisions about reopening schools this fall.”
“The Administration’s strategy of prioritizing politics over science has had a devastating impact on our country throughout this pandemic,” he added. “It should not make that same mistake when it comes to reopening schools.”
“Dr. Redfield has testified on the Hill at least four times over the last three months. We need our doctors focused on the pandemic response,” a White House official told CNN, confirming the decision to block the CDC’s participation in the hearing.
The decision not to allow Redfield or any CDC official to testify comes as the White House has repeatedly called for schools to reopen entirely amid the coronavirus pandemic. Redfield told ABC’s Good Morning America last week his agency will not change its guidance for reopening schools despite pressure from President Trump.
