Posted on June 26, 2026
ADAO Supports Congressional Demand to Remove Toxic White House East Wing Debris
We have been seeking the same answers for months. On October 23, 2025, ADAO wrote to the White House requesting information about asbestos identification, abatement, transportation, and disposal following the demolition of the White House East Wing. When those questions went unanswered, ADAO submitted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to multiple federal agencies and the Executive Office of the President in early November 2025. After failing to receive meaningful responses by FOIA’s statutory deadlines, ADAO filed a lawsuit on January 7, 2026, seeking records related to asbestos identification, abatement, and compliance with federal safety requirements during the demolition.
ADAO’s case, Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization v. National Park Service, Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Labor–Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and Executive Office of the President, No. 1:26-cv-00029-RJL (D.D.C.), remains pending.
Today’s congressional letter underscores why these records matter and why transparency cannot be delayed. When older buildings are demolished, compliance with asbestos safety requirements, thorough environmental testing, and timely public disclosure are essential to protecting workers, nearby communities, visitors, and the environment from preventable exposure.
ADAO supports the House’s demand for the immediate removal of the contaminated debris, comprehensive environmental testing, full public disclosure of all records related to the demolition and disposal, and accountability for decisions that may have placed workers and the public at unnecessary risk.
Prevention begins with transparency. Without accountability, there can be no confidence that workers, families, visitors, and surrounding communities were adequately protected from asbestos and other hazardous materials. ADAO will continue pursuing its FOIA litigation and will remain open to other legal pathways until the public receives the transparency, accountability, and answers it deserves.
— Linda Reinstein, President & CEO, Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO)
The June 26, 2026 letter was signed by the below 61 Members of Congress.
| Member of Congress | State |
| Jamie Raskin | MD |
| Donald S. Beyer Jr. | VA |
| Eleanor Holmes Norton | DC |
| Glenn F. Ivey | MD |
| Lloyd Doggett | TX |
| Bonnie Watson Coleman | NJ |
| Danny K. Davis | IL |
| Sarah Elfreth | MD |
| Henry C. “Hank” Johnson Jr. | GA |
| Emanuel Cleaver II | MO |
| Rashida Tlaib | MI |
| Adelita S. Grijalva | AZ |
| Sylvia R. Garcia | TX |
| Robert Garcia | CA |
| Chellie Pingree | ME |
| Zoe Lofgren | CA |
| Shri Thanedar | MI |
| André Carson | IN |
| Madeleine Dean | PA |
| Nydia M. Velázquez | NY |
| Christian D. Menefee | TX |
| Steny H. Hoyer | MD |
| Yvette D. Clarke | NY |
| James R. Walkinshaw | VA |
| Jared Huffman | CA |
| Betty McCollum | MN |
| Ro Khanna | CA |
| Jahana Hayes | CT |
| April McClain Delaney | MD |
| Seth Moulton | MA |
| Bennie G. Thompson | MS |
| Mark Takano | CA |
| Steve Cohen | TN |
| Raja Krishnamoorthi | IL |
| Mark Pocan | WI |
| Grace Meng | NY |
| Summer L. Lee | PA |
| Joyce Beatty | OH |
| Jasmine Crockett | TX |
| Jesús G. “Chuy” García | IL |
| Paul D. Tonko | NY |
| Emily Randall | WA |
| Mary Gay Scanlon | PA |
| Dave Min | CA |
| Darren Soto | FL |
| Stephen F. Lynch | MA |
| Julie Johnson | TX |
| Analilia Mejia | NJ |
| Judy Chu | CA |
| Ted W. Lieu | CA |
| Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez | NY |
| John Garamendi | CA |
| Jennifer L. McClellan | VA |
| Shomari Figures | AL |
| Jerrold Nadler | NY |
| Joe Courtney | CT |
| Sara Jacobs | CA |
| Wesley Bell | MO |
| Dwight Evans | PA |
| Robert C. “Bobby” Scott | VA |
| Seth Magaziner | RI |