{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-johnson-pushes-administration-provide-safe-working", "Congressman Johnson Pushes Administration to Provide Safe Working Conditions for Workers Dealing with Rat Infestation at Chamblee IRS Office", "2026-06-10", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "House", "GA", "Henry C. \"Hank\" Johnson, Jr.", "J000288", "hankjohnson.house.gov", "hankjohnson", "https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases", "scraper", "CHAMBLEE, GA \u2013 Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), along with Georgia U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA), are calling on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano to immediately address a rat and cockroach infestation that has plagued the office for weeks and allow employees at the IRS Atlanta campus to work remotely until conditions improve.\n\n\u201cNo one should have to deal with unsafe and unsanitary working conditions like this,\u201d said Congressman Johnson, who represents the area where the IRS facility is located. \u201cI\u2019m pleased to join our Senators in calling for Trump Administration officials to allow these workers to work remotely until this terrible situation is remedied.\u201d\n\nAccording to reports, some employees have also fallen ill from exposure to rodent-borne diseases, forcing some staff members to resign from their positions. Constituents have also called the Congressman's office to express concern over the conditions at the facility.\n\nA copy of the letter can be found HERE, and the text is below:\n\nDear Secretary Bessent and Chief Executive Officer Bisignano:\n\nWe are writing to urge you to take all steps necessary to address the ongoing rat and cockroach infestation at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Atlanta Campus in Chamblee, Georgia. We ask that the IRS give full and fair consideration of employees\u2019 requests to close the facility until it has been thoroughly cleaned and determined safe for occupancy and to telework during the remediation process. We also ask that the IRS provide a briefing to our offices on the IRS\u2019 specific plan to address this occupational health and safety issue.\n\nAccording to local news reporting and a statement by the National Treasury Employees Union, the IRS Atlanta Campus in Chamblee has been infested with rats and cockroaches for several weeks. IRS employees have shared photos and videos of living and dead rats, rat droppings, and rat traps throughout the office complex, as well as employees sitting on their desks to avoid the office floor. This infestation has led to employees falling ill from exposure to rodent-borne diseases and has forced some staff members to resign from their positions. Our offices have also received a number of concerning messages from constituents on this matter.\n\nWhile we are glad to hear that the IRS is beginning steps to remediate the situation, our understanding is that this work is only in its initial stages and not yet complete.\n\nEmployees at the IRS Atlanta Campus have requested that the IRS close the Chamblee office and move to a full telework posture until it eliminates the infestation. As the IRS considers their requests, we also call your attention to a June 2026 memorandum from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, which reminds federal agencies with offices in a 2026 FIFA World Cup host city \u2013 such as Atlanta \u2013 of their \u201cauthority to approve situational/unscheduled telework and other workforce flexibilities.\u201d Given that teleworking is an appropriate response to \u201csignificant increases in traffic congestion and commuting delays\u201d from the World Cup, we believe the IRS should also use its \u201csole and exclusive discretion\u201d to enable teleworking in response to this pressing occupational health and safety hazard.\n\nTherefore, we ask that you take all steps necessary to eradicate the rat and cockroach infestation at the IRS Atlanta Campus, including taking full and fair consideration of employees\u2019 requests to close the facility until it has been thoroughly cleaned and determined safe for occupancy and to telework during the remediation process. Please provide our offices with an update on the steps the IRS is taking by June 23, 2026.\n\nSincerely, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock and U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff\n\n###", 1, "2026-06-27T21:44:12Z", "2026-06-27T22:11:26Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://hankjohnson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-johnson-pushes-administration-provide-safe-working"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.1437748800963163, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}