Ranking Members Raskin and Garcia Request a Briefing on HHS’s Efforts to Curb the Spread of Deadly Avian Influenza Among Frontline Agricultural Workers

Washington, D.C. (December 13, 2024)—Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, requesting information and a staff-level briefing on how HHS is working to curb the spread of the deadly Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak among vulnerable, frontline agricultural workers. 

“Front-line agricultural workers across the nation are at greatest risk of infection because of their close proximity to livestock.  And these populations are, unfortunately, less likely to have access to adequate health insurance, testing, or paid sick leave.  The sector is heavily reliant on undocumented workers, who face unique barriers to accessing health care, and who may fear engaging with public health officials. We are deeply concerned that the present political environment, particularly rising anti-immigrant rhetoric, may exacerbate barriers to care and increase the threat to public health.  These tensions present risks to vulnerable essential workers, to the agricultural supply chain, and to the general public.  We, therefore, seek answers to essential questions about how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is working to curb the HPAI outbreak and ensure those at greatest risk of getting sick and further spreading a deadly infection have access to prevention and treatment,” wrote the Ranking Members.

The letter follows concerns that anti-immigrant rhetoric and fears of deportation and harassment have undermined the concrete steps taken by the Biden-Harris Administration to increase access to health testing for agricultural workers, including actions taken by the Centers for Disease Prevention and other federal entities. 

In their letter, the Ranking Members also highlight the economic costs of failing to curb HPAI.  In 2022 alone, an HPAI outbreak in the United States led to $2.5 to $3 billion in agricultural losses, which would only magnify with sustained human to human transmission similar to COVID-19. 

“The forthcoming return to Trump-era policies, defined by mass deportations and punitive measures, poses an unprecedented threat to our public health infrastructure.  Such outcomes would delay our ability to detect and contain zoonotic diseases like HPAI and further erode trust in health systems.  Draconian policies that make immigrants afraid to seek healthcare are at odds with our collective public health and economic goals. The risks of undermining effective public health initiatives are too severe to ignore.  We must act decisively to protect agricultural workers—key partners in our public health response, regardless of immigration status—and ensure their full participation in efforts to track and contain the HPAI outbreak,” wrote the Ranking Members.

The Ranking Members’ letter requests HHS provide answers to their inquiries and a staff-level briefing to the Committee no later than December 30, 2024.

Click here to read the letter.

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