PRIVATE MEDICAL DATA OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

On 2026-04-14, Representative Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10) delivered a floor speech titled "PRIVATE MEDICAL DATA OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES" in the House. The speech addressed healthcare and also covered taxes, climate policy.

PRIVATE MEDICAL DATA OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 65 (Tuesday, April 14, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 14, 2026)] [House] [Pages H2838-H2839] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] PRIVATE MEDICAL DATA OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES (Mr. Subramanyam of Virginia was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, we need to stop this administration from trying to collect private medical data on Federal employees and their families. Recently OPM, the Office of Personnel Management, started asking Federal workers and their family members for their detailed monthly health records. This isn't just trends or summaries. This is things like prescriptions and claims, so all this data has personally identifiable information that paints a clear picture of a person's private life and health. Why do they want to do this? Well, we are not really sure. One story from OPM is that this is to help provide competitive, quality, affordable health plans. But OPM already has health claims data warehouses, and they haven't really explained how this would actually help with finding a competitive plan. They certainly haven't cited legal authority for why they are entitled to every Federal worker's detailed health information. We are being asked right now to trust that this will all be secure, but they haven't really outlined how they will keep this information safe, and OPM has a really poor track record. This is the agency that leaked 21 million records in one of the largest Federal data breaches in recent history. Last year, there were credible reports that DOGE personnel were granting sweeping access to sensitive OPM systems and data. A Federal judge has temporarily blocked this policy of collecting Federal worker health data because it likely violates the Privacy Act, but we need to permanently stop this policy from moving forward. Instead of going after Federal workers' personal information, I would ask the OPM to instead focus on processing the backlog of retirement claims, which has surpassed 55,000 cases. In any case, I hope my colleagues will join me in opposing what OPM is doing here. Forest Service Reorganization Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the planned reorganization of the Forest Service, which will mean the relocation or closure of dozens of Forest Service offices. The Forest Service is an agency many of us don't think about, but it does so much important work that impacts our lives every day. They protect national forests, wildlife diversity, and watersheds. They lead the fight against forest fire and promote fire prevention. They research forest health and manage 193 million acres of land. We already know that these relocations and closures of Forest Service offices will be a disaster, because the first Trump administration relocated [[Page H2839]] just three offices, which resulted in the largest loss of productivity and staffing in recent history for that agency. That is just three offices. Imagine moving the entire headquarters, which is 260 employees. Those folks, some of whom are my constituents, would have to choose between their jobs or uprooting their lives and their families. {time} 1215 The administration also wants to close 57 of 77 Forest Service research facilities. This will slow down or end research on wildfire prevention, logging techniques, endangered species research, and climate change response. I could keep going. This is irresponsible, given the record temperatures we are seeing every year and the once-in-a-lifetime droughts and floods that are happening every few years. This can't be about reducing waste, fraud, and abuse, or streamlining government, because the move itself would be incredibly costly, and the natural disasters that result from them will be far more costly than maintaining these offices. Mr. Speaker, I urge this administration to stop these disastrous relocations of the Forest Service. ____________________