NIH managers have distributed forms to employees of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences that ask them to report all contacts with lawmakers amid a series of ongoing congressional investigations into allegations of conflicts of interest, excessive spending and other issues at the institute, the AP/Contra Costa Times reports.

The "record of congressional inquiry" forms ask NIEHS employees to report and provide the details of telephone calls from the offices of lawmakers. According to the AP/Times, at least one NIEHS employee raised concerns about the forms and submitted one to congressional investigators, and one lawmaker cited the possibility that the documents are "an attempt to flush out would-be whistleblowers."

In a letter sent on Monday to NIH Director Elias Zerhouni, Senate Finance Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who has led one of the ongoing congressional investigations, asked for details on the circumstances related to the distribution of the forms. He wrote, "Hopefully, the intent of this form was not to discourage or intimidate NIEHS employees from talking to Congress; but I must admit, the timing is curious."

NIH spokesperson Don Ralbovsky said that agency officials "take these questions seriously and are reviewing the matter." In addition, he said that NIH encourages agency employees to "fully cooperate" with congressional investigators and remains committed to federal protections for whistleblowers.

Internal Investigation
Separately, Zerhouni on Monday announced that NIH will conduct an internal investigation of NIEHS and that institute Director David Schwartz will resign for the duration of the review. Zerhouni said, "My hope is that this intensive review will not only help clarify the issues that have recently surfaced, but it is also an opportunity to do a self assessment that will strengthen the institute and its programs" (Bridges, AP/Contra Costa Times, 8/20).

In an e-mail, Schwartz, who became NIEHS director in 2005, told institute employees that, "although this development is personally painful, I am committed to a full and comprehensive review" and asked that they cooperate with the investigation (Nesmith, Cox/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 8/22).

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