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Van Hollen, McClain Delaney Lead Maryland Delegation Members in Demanding Answers on Research Pause at NIAID Lab in Fort Detrick Lead Maryland Delegation Members in Demanding Answers on Research Pause at NIAID Lab in Fort Detrick

Tuesday, U.S. Senator Chirs Van Hollen and U.S. Congresswoman April McClain Delaney, with the support of U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks and Representatives Steny Hoyer, Jamie Raskin, Glenn Ivey, Kweisi Mfume, Sarah Elfreth, and Johnny Olszewski (all D-Md.), led a bicameral letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya raising questions about the research pause at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick (IRF-Frederick), following reports of alleged safety violations, personnel misconduct, and potential exposure to Ebola virus.

The IRF-Frederick is a high-containment research facility operated by NIAID, a key component of NIH. It plays a critical role in the U.S. government’s efforts to study and combat deadly and emerging infectious diseases such as Ebola, COVID-19, and HIV/AIDS. On April 29, 2025, operations at the facility were halted in what HHS described as a “safety stand-down,” reportedly triggered by personnel issues involving contract staff that compromised the lab’s safety protocols.

Subsequent reporting has revealed allegations, including intentional damage to protective equipment stemming from a personal dispute between researchers. In testimony before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Secretary Kennedy confirmed that the FBI is investigating the incident and that a contractor may have been exposed to the Ebola virus.

“The safety measures and protocols at the IRF-Frederick are of the utmost importance not only for our constituents in the surrounding communities and the State of Maryland, but also for the entire country,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Every day that research at the IRF-Frederick is halted, our nation’s readiness to respond to biological threats and life-threatening, emerging public health crises is at risk,” the lawmakers continued. “Preserving the safety, integrity, and continuity of NIH research is essential to maintaining U.S. leadership in biomedical research and innovation and to ensuring that the fruits of this research keep American families safe.”

In their letter, the lawmakers request detailed information regarding:

  1. Existing safety protocols and standard operating procedures at IRF-Frederick to prevent and respond to exposures of pathogens, viruses, and other agents studied at the lab;
  2. The timeline of events leading up to the safety stand-down and actions taken by NIAID, NIH, and HHS leadership;
  3. The communications with the surrounding community and local officials, including emergency management and health department personnel regarding the alleged safety violation and implementation of the safety stand-down;
  4. The rationale for the research pause and projected timeline for resuming operations;
  5. The safety measures, training, and protocols in place to protect essential personnel maintaining the lab, animal models, and the Frederick community surrounding Fort Detrick;
  6. The status and timeline of the FBI investigation.

The lawmakers requested a full response from Secretary Kennedy and Director Bhattacharya by June 17, 2025.

A full copy of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Secretary Kennedy and Director Bhattacharya,

We write to inquire about the recent reports of safety protocol violations that have led to a research pause at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick (IRF-Frederick). NIAID is one of the 27 Institutes and Centers that comprise the National Institutes of Health, and is critical for public health, biomedical research, and U.S. national security. Scientists at the IRF-Frederick study some of the most dangerous pathogens and viruses to prevent, address, and eradicate high-consequence and deadly diseases. The safety measures and protocols at the IRF-Frederick are of the utmost importance for our constituents in the surrounding communities and the State of Maryland, as well as the entire country. 

NIAID leads U.S. efforts to research and respond to high-consequence diseases such as COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, and Ebola. The work of NIAID and these expert scientists have led to the development of lifesaving diagnostics, vaccines, and therapies for some of the deadliest illnesses in the world today.[1] Further, NIAID is a central hub for basic and applied research and analysis of emerging public health threats through its Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Program. The Institute’s foundational research to understand how pathogens and viruses develop into highly infectious diseases and how to combat them are key components of our biodefense research infrastructure. Without the work of NIAID scientists, our nation would be less equipped to address and respond to novel and emerging biological threats and diseases.   

As such, we are eager to learn more about the safety protocols and procedures in place to ensure the community’s safety and the timeline of when the critical research and work of the IRF-Frederick will resume. According to reports, the lab was instructed to pause all research activities on April 29, 2025, known as a “safety stand-down” following “personnel issues involving contract staff that compromised the facility’s safety culture.”[2] In the weeks since, it has come to light that the pause “stemmed from a lover’s spat between researchers at the facility,” which led to the intentional, targeted damage to personal protective equipment at the IRF-Frederick.[3] On May 14, 2025, Secretary Kennedy also testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that a contractor may have been exposed to Ebola, and confirmed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been brought in to investigate the potentially criminal conduct that led to the lab’s “shutdown.”[4]

In the interest of public health, national security, and public trust in the labs at Fort Detrick and the State of Maryland’s support for the important work conducted at the IRF-Frederick, we respectfully ask for your prompt responses to the following questions: 

  1. What safety protocols and standard operating procedures are in place at NIAID’s IRF-Frederick to prevent and mitigate exposures of harmful pathogens, viruses, and other agents studied? 
  2. What are the safety protocols and standard operating procedures following potential or confirmed exposures at Biosafety level (BSL)-4 labs?
  3. Is the implementation of a research pause, or "safety stand-down” in accordance with the safety protocols and standard operating procedures at BSL-4 labs?  
  4. When did the alleged dispute between the two contractors arise, and what steps were taken by NIAID leadership to resolve these issues and mitigate any potential for safety violations? 
  5. When was NIAID, NIH, and HHS leadership informed of the alleged safety violation and confirmed exposure between the employees?
  6. When NIAID, NIH, and HHS leadership became aware of the alleged safety violation and confirmed exposure, how did leadership reach the decision to implement a “safety stand-down”? What is the timeline between the alleged violation and the implementation of the research pause?
  7. When NIAID, NIH, and HHS leadership reached the decision to implement the safety stand-down, to what extent did leadership communicate about the alleged safety violation, the implementation of the safety stand-down, and any protocols and procedures in place with the Frederick community surrounding Fort Detrick? To what extent has there been communication and coordination with local officials, including emergency management and health department personnel?
  8. What safety measures and training have been implemented to ensure the continued safety of the essential personnel maintaining the lab and the Frederick community surrounding Fort Detrick?
  9. It has been reported that career staff at the IRF-Frederick have been placed on administrative leave during the research pause. When will these employees be brought back to work?
  10. What measures have been implemented to ensure the standard of care and safety of the subjects of animal models at the lab?
  11. What is the status of the FBI investigation of the alleged safety violation?
  12. What is the expected timeline for leadership to lift the “safety stand-down,” and when will the research activities at the IRF-Frederick resume?

We urge you to recognize the importance of the research conducted at NIAID and the IRF-Frederick, and commend your efforts to operate the facility with a safety-first approach. Every day that research at the IRF-Frederick is halted, our nation’s readiness to respond to biological threats and life-threatening, emerging public health crises is at risk. Preserving the safety, integrity, and continuity of NIH research is essential to maintaining U.S. leadership in biomedical research and innovation and to ensuring that the fruits of this research keep American families safe.

 We respectfully ask for your response to the questions posed above by June 17, 2025.