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4h ago

RFK Jr. Defends Deep HHS Budget Cuts in Contentious Senate Hearing

Facing bipartisan criticism, Kennedy argued the proposed 26% budget reduction would streamline operations and improve efficiency despite concerns over public health impacts.

Donald Trump on the South Lawn of the White House on May 16, 2025.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., arrives to testify during the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing titled "FY2026 Department of Health and Human Services Budget,” in Dirksen building on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. looks on as he testifies on proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2026 for the department on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on May 20, 2025.

Overview

  • Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee for the third time in a week, defending the Trump administration's proposed fiscal 2026 budget cuts.
  • The budget plan includes a 26% reduction in discretionary funding for HHS, slashing $18 billion from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and reducing the department's workforce by 20,000 positions.
  • Democratic senators challenged Kennedy over cuts to biomedical research, NIH grants, and programs addressing Alzheimer's, cancer, and rare diseases, warning of long-term consequences for public health.
  • Kennedy faced criticism for withholding funding for low-income energy assistance and child care programs, while defending the cuts as necessary to eliminate waste and improve efficiency.
  • Tensions flared during the hearing, with Kennedy clashing with lawmakers over vaccine skepticism, fluoride bans, and the reinstatement of 328 NIOSH employees after erroneous layoffs.