Kennedy. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will testify before the Senate HELP Committee in mid-May, an HHS spokesperson told Axios on Wednesday.
Why it matters: Senators are sure to press for answers on Kennedy's dramatic downsizing of the department, the disruption of public health programs and grants and the government's response to the measles outbreak.
What they're saying: "We remain committed to collaborating with our friends in Congress, and the secretary looks forward to appearing before six committees on the president's budget in the month of May, including the HELP committee in mid-May," the HHS spokesperson said.
Between the lines: HELP Chairman Bill Cassidy, along with Ranking Member Bernie Sanders, had invited Kennedy to testify on April 10 on the reorganization of HHS.
- Kennedy didn't formally respond in time, and the hearing did not take place on that date.
- Now, Kennedy will be testifying in mid-May, though HHS is framing it as part of the slate of hearings that customarily surround the release of the president's budget proposal.
- The HHS secretary in recent years has not testified before HELP on the president's budget, instead going to Senate Finance and Appropriations, as well as House committees.
- "We look forward to finalizing a date and noticing a hearing," a HELP spokesperson told Axios.
