Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
It's not clear whether or when HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will actually testify before the Senate HELP Committee, with an aide to committee Chair Bill Cassidy telling Axios that HHS has confirmed that they got the invitation to Thursday's hearing but hadn't formally responded.
Why it matters: Cassidy noted that Kennedy promised to testify on a quarterly basis, and the hearing would be closely watched as HHS lays off thousands of people and guts entire programs.
Driving the news: Cassidy joined with HELP Ranking Member Bernie Sanders last week to ask Kennedy to testify on his plans for HHS, which included laying off 10,000 federal workers.
- The proposed date for a hearing was this Thursday.
- But the hearing is now likely to occur after recess, if at all, because HELP Committee rules require notice of a hearing seven days in advance.
What they're saying: Cassidy said in a statement when he sent the invitation that he wanted Kennedy to be able to "set the record straight" on his reorganization rather than letting "anonymous sources" define the discussion.
- An HHS spokesperson declined to comment.
