The freshly installed deputy secretary of the Agriculture Department will testify this week on the agency’s plan to vacate buildings and relocate more than half of its 4,600 Washington-area employees to other parts of the country.
Stephen Vaden, who was sworn in July 7 and will lead the reorganization effort, should expect sharp questions Wednesday from the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, which hastily called the hearing after the USDA announced the plan without first informing lawmakers.
Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) said he was “disappointed” that lawmakers were kept in the dark, saying he questioned just how effective the reorganization would be. Ranking member Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) called the move “half-baked.”
As part of the plan, most USDA employees will be relocated to five “hubs” around the country, from North Carolina to Indiana to Colorado.
