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During the Trump administration, a concerning lack of transparency shrouded the extent of workforce reductions within vital federal health agencies. While official figures remained elusive, ProPublica embarked on a crucial investigative journey to uncover the truth. Using a publicly available federal employee directory, we meticulously tracked departures, revealing a significant impact on the agencies’ ability to serve the public.

The Challenge: A Wall of Silence

The administration's reluctance to disclose workforce data created a significant barrier to understanding the state of these agencies. Without official numbers, it was impossible to assess the potential consequences of these cuts—whether they impacted public health initiatives, slowed down critical research, or hindered the delivery of essential services.

Our Methodology: Mining the Federal Employee Directory

To overcome this obstacle, ProPublica's investigative team leveraged a powerful resource: the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) federal employee directory. This directory, while not a perfect record, provides a snapshot of federal employees and their positions. Our process involved a multi-step approach:

1. Identifying Target Agencies: We focused on key federal health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
2. Data Extraction: Utilizing specialized tools and techniques, we extracted data from the OPM directory, focusing on employee departures between specific dates.
3. Cross-Referencing and Verification: To ensure accuracy, we cross-referenced the directory data with other publicly available information, such as news reports and agency announcements. We also manually verified a sample of departures to confirm their accuracy.
4. Analyzing Trends: Once we had a comprehensive dataset, we analyzed the trends in workforce reductions, identifying patterns and potential areas of concern.

The Findings: A Significant Impact

Our investigation revealed a substantial number of departures across the targeted federal health agencies. This exodus included experienced scientists, public health professionals, and administrative staff. The impact of these losses was felt in various ways:

• Reduced Research Capacity: The departure of researchers at the NIH, for example, potentially hampered progress on critical medical research projects.
• Strain on Public Health Programs: At the CDC, workforce reductions placed additional strain on existing public health programs, potentially impacting the agency's ability to respond to outbreaks and other public health emergencies.
• Disrupted Service Delivery: Across the agencies, workforce cuts led to disruptions in service delivery, impacting the public's access to essential health services.

The Importance of Transparency

ProPublica's investigation underscored the critical importance of government transparency. By refusing to disclose workforce data, the Trump administration hindered public accountability and made it difficult to assess the impact of its policies. Our work demonstrated the power of investigative journalism to hold government accountable and shed light on issues of public concern.

This experience serves as a reminder that access to information is essential for a healthy democracy. We hope our efforts will encourage greater transparency in government and empower citizens to hold their leaders accountable. The full dataset and methodology are available for review, furthering our commitment to open and verifiable journalism.