U.S. federal employee 'gag orders' may be illegal, lawmakers warn TrumpWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior Democratic lawmakers on Thursday called on the White House to lift orders barring government agency employees from communicating with the public and Congress, saying such restrictions may violate federal laws. Congressmen Elijah Cummings of Maryland, ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Frank Pallone Jr. of New Jersey, ranking member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, sent a letter to White House counsel Donald McGahn asking for immediate action to address the administration’s “gag orders on federal employees that prevent them from communicating with Congress.  “We urge you to immediately rescind all policies on employee communications that do not comply with the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act and other federal statutes,” they wrote in the letter dated on Thursday.  Employees at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Interior Department, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services have seen directives from the newly minted leadership that limit how they communicate to the public, according to multiple sources. [L1N1FE5FE] At a news conference on Tuesday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the White House had not ordered such directives. “I don’t think it’s a surprise we’re going to review the policies, but I don’t have any info at this time,” Spicer added. The letter from Cummings and Pallone asked U.S. President Donald Trump to issue a statement “making clear to all federal employees that they have the right to communicate with Congress and that he and his Administration will not silence or retaliate against whistleblowers.” politicsNews
federal employee orders may illegal lawmakers warn trumpwashington reuters senior democratic lawmakers thursday called white house lift orders barring government agency employees communicating public congress saying restrictions may violate federal laws congressmen elias cuttings maryland ranking member house committee oversight government reform frank alone new jersey ranking member house committee energy commerce sent letter white house counsel donald meghan asking immediate action address administration gag orders federal employees prevent communicating congress we urge immediately rescind policies employee communications comply whistleblower protection enhancement act federal statutes wrote letter dated thursday employees environmental protection agency interior department department agriculture department health human services seen directives newly minted leadership limit communicate public according multiple sources at news conference tuesday white house spokesman sean spider said white house ordered directives i think surprise going review policies i info time spider added the letter cuttings alone asked president donald trump issue statement making clear federal employees right communicate congress administration silence retaliate politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: U.S. federal employee 'gag orders' may be illegal, lawmakers warn TrumpWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior Democratic lawmakers on Thursday called on the White House to lift orders barring government agency employees from communicating with the public and Congress, saying such restrictions may violate federal laws. Congressmen Elijah Cummings of Maryland, ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Frank Pallone Jr. of New Jersey, ranking member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, sent a letter to White House counsel Donald McGahn asking for immediate action to address the administration’s “gag orders on federal employees that prevent them from communicating with Congress.  “We urge you to immediately rescind all policies on employee communications that do not comply with the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act and other federal statutes,” they wrote in the letter dated on Thursday.  Employees at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Interior Department, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services have seen directives from the newly minted leadership that limit how they communicate to the public, according to multiple sources. [L1N1FE5FE] At a news conference on Tuesday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the White House had not ordered such directives. “I don’t think it’s a surprise we’re going to review the policies, but I don’t have any info at this time,” Spicer added. The letter from Cummings and Pallone asked U.S. President Donald Trump to issue a statement “making clear to all federal employees that they have the right to communicate with Congress and that he and his Administration will not silence or retaliate against whistleblowers.” politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: federal employee orders may illegal lawmakers warn trumpwashington reuters senior democratic lawmakers thursday called white house lift orders barring government agency employees communicating public congress saying restrictions may violate federal laws congressmen elias cuttings maryland ranking member house committee oversight government reform frank alone new jersey ranking member house committee energy commerce sent letter white house counsel donald meghan asking immediate action address administration gag orders federal employees prevent communicating congress we urge immediately rescind policies employee communications comply whistleblower protection enhancement act federal statutes wrote letter dated thursday employees environmental protection agency interior department department agriculture department health human services seen directives newly minted leadership limit communicate public according multiple sources at news conference tuesday white house spokesman sean spider said white house ordered directives i think surprise going review policies i info time spider added the letter cuttings alone asked president donald trump issue statement making clear federal employees right communicate congress administration silence retaliate politicsnews