October 26, 2018 Press Release

Group Calls for House Investigation of HHS’ Role in Child Separation Crisis; Launches Digital Ad Campaign Demanding Scott Lloyd’s Firing

10.26.18 – Today, Equity Forward sent a letter to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform calling on Chairman Gowdy to hold Health and Human Services (HHS)  Secretary Alex Azar and Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Director Scott Lloyd accountable for their role in the family separation crisis. The group also began a new digital ad campaign calling on Azar to fire Lloyd with an initial five-figure buy in DC.

The renewed calls for oversight come after the Republican-controlled House Energy and Commerce and its subcommittee on Health have  for months stonewalled any meaningful oversight of HHS’ role in the crisis

“Both Secretary Azar and ORR Director Lloyd have a lot to answer for. They have failed to comply with court orders and have proven to be incompetent when it comes to reuniting families and ensuring child safety. They have exhibited an appalling lack of planning, overall incompetent management and have cost taxpayers millions of dollars that were designated for other critical health issues. This issue merits serious, bi-partisan oversight of HHS, and it is Congress’ duty to do so,” said Mary Alice Carter, Executive Director of Equity Forward.

“Getting to the bottom of the many failures and the mismanagement at HHS must be a top priority for this Congress. And since Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee are refusing to do their job, the responsibility now lays with the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Our hope is that Chairman Gowdy uses the remainder of his chairmanship to tackle this vital issue.”

Earlier this week, a new report issued by the Government Accountability Office detailed how Secretary Alex Azar’s HHS was woefully unprepared to handle the more than 2,600 children ripped from their families at the border this summer. Also this week, Politico reported that “a top official at the Department of Health and Human Services, which runs the refugee resettlement program, is conducting what she called a “top to bottom” review of the program, three months after the migrant crisis paralyzed the agency.” The Politico report faulted ORR Director Scott “Lloyd [for making] decisions that complicated reunifications.”

Read the letter to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform HERE.

A sample of the ads is here:

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