Senate Democrats called on the Trump administration Monday to give the public more time to comment on a planned reorganization of the Agriculture Department — and to make submitted comments visible to the public.
In a letter to Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, the ranking member of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, and her colleagues said an extended comment period would allow for better-informed feedback as USDA looks to relocate more than 2,600 employees and close offices in the nation’s capital, among other changes.
The lawmakers asked the department to provide at least 60 days for public comment once major initial elements of the reorganization have been set, and that USDA publish a full, updated proposal on its website.
They said, “this lack of clarity makes it difficult to formulate relevant comments on the proposal, especially if USDA is making changes to the reorganization plan without updating Congress or relevant stakeholders.”
