Kennedy before the Energy and Commerce Committee. Photo: Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended his overhaul of federal health agencies during a contentious hearing Tuesday at the House Energy and Commerce Committee but indicated that more workers could be rehired in the future.
Why it matters: The hearing on HHS' FY26 budget featured some of the sharpest questioning Kennedy has faced on the Hill since his confirmation, as Democrats hammered away at policy and personnel decisions.
Driving the news: Democrats zeroed in on proposed cuts to NIH and the CDC that they said amounted to 20% and 54% of the respective agencies' current budgets.
- "Entire offices and centers have been eliminated because there is no staff left to run them," said Ranking Member Frank Pallone. "These decisions have been made indiscriminately, without any regard for their impact on the health and well-being of the American people."
- The panel's Republicans and Kennedy argued that federal spending contributed to out-of-control growth in the health bureaucracy. "HHS has become the largest spender of our federal departments," said Chair Brett Guthrie.
- "Throwing money at this agency hasn't worked," said Kennedy, who said the proposed budget would bolster mental health and substance abuse treatment programs and expand food safety efforts.
But in response to a Guthrie question about reductions in force, Kennedy indicated that some personnel decisions would be reevaluated.
- Once a court injunction on RIFs is lifted, Kennedy said, he would determine whether there were gaps that necessitate rehiring. He noted that some staffers had already been brought back at health agencies.
- He also doubled down on cuts, saying he had eliminated duplicative procurement, human resources and administrative offices.
The other side: Democrats said that Kennedy hadn't responded to numerous requests for information, and they asked about the termination of NIH grants and whether he had personally approved all of the RIF orders.
- "Do you commit to providing a substantive response?" Pallone asked. "You said you want to be transparent."
- "All of those letters will be answered," Kennedy said. "I'm not going to tell you a date."
Between the lines: Rep. Kim Schrier, a pediatrician, pressed Kennedy on his recent firing of the the CDC advisory committee on vaccines and whether that violated commitments he made to Senate HELP Chair Bill Cassidy during his confirmation process.
- "Did you lie to Sen. Cassidy when you told him you would not fire this panel of experts?" Schrier asked.
- "I never made any agreement," Kennedy replied. "I didn't see that statement from Sen. Cassidy."
- "You lied to Sen. Cassidy. You have lied to the American people.… I lay all responsibility for every death from a vaccine-preventable illness at your feet," Schrier responded.
- Earlier in the hearing, Kennedy had sought to justify eliminating ACIP appointees by saying "We fired people who had conflicts with the pharmaceutical industry."
