Members Call on White House for Leadership Change at Chemical Safety Board

WASHINGTON – Today, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, Government Operations Subcommittee Chairman John Mica, R-Fla., National Security Subcommittee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, and Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., in a letter to the White House, called for change in leadership at the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) in light of management failures, whistleblower retaliation, and information the Committee’s investigation has uncovered that has called into question the testimony of CSB Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso at the Committee’s most recent hearing:

“[The Chemical Safety Board] has a vital public safety mission—to investigate industrial chemical accidents, report on the causes of the accidents and make recommendations to prevent future tragedies,” the lawmakers state in the letter. “Chairman Moure-Eraso’s leadership is making it difficult for the agency to fulfill its mission. Immediate change in CSB leadership is necessary to allow this besieged agency to heal and regain focus on its public safety mission.”

Chairman Moure-Eraso’s management at the CSB came under fire from both Republicans and Democrats during the hearing.

In response to Chairman Moure-Eraso’s attempt to justify his management style, Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., said:  “This is about lack of leadership at the top, Dr. Moure-Eraso…[Y]our reaction, sir, since February 10th and today, under oath before this Committee, I think raises serious questions about your fitness to hold your job.”

Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., stated that the CSB’s failure to complete an investigation into an August 2012 fire at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California “shows a lack of ability to do the job.”

Ranking Member Elijah Cummings, D-Md., told Chairman Moure-Eraso the following:

“…I have to tell you, sitting up here listening, it seems like the fingers are pointing at you.  I am just telling you.  And some kind of way we have to get passed that; we have to figure that out, exactly how do we get this agency to functioning, because I think several people said it already.  When it is not functioning properly, the American people suffer.”

Members of the minority were given the opportunity for input and to sign the letter calling on the White House for a change in leadership at the CSB, but they declined.

Background:

The Committee’s investigation has revealed serious management problems and heavy-handed tactics at the Chemical Safety Board (CSB), including evidence that Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso, General Counsel Richard Loeb, and Managing Director Daniel Horowitz have mistreated employees and created a toxic work environment.  The deficiencies uncovered during the course of the investigation and outlined in the joint staff report led the Oversight and Government Reform and the Science, Space, and Technology committees to conclude that CSB is failing to fulfill its mission.

Read the joint staff report titled, Whistleblower Reprisal and Management Failures at the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, here.

Read today’s letter to the White House here.