Tuesday, May 20`, 2025
Year : 2, Issue: 38
NBC NY: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. returned to Capitol Hill for his third congressional hearing in a week to face more heated questions from lawmakers about the drastic funding cuts his department has made as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to reduce the size of the federal government.
Tuesday’s hearing before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee centers on Trump’s 2026 budget request for the health agency, and within minutes, lawmakers expressed concerns about specific programs and funding that would see cuts if the proposed budget passes.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., expressed concerns during her opening remarks about program eliminations like those impacting the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
“I support the President’s vision to right-size our government, but as you and I have discussed, I don’t think eliminating NIOSH programs will accomplish that goal,” said Capito, who leads the subcommittee.
Later, Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., also expressed concerns over NIOSH staffing cuts and a mining safety-related grant cut. NIOSH, which focuses on workplace health and safety, hosts mining research programs. Earlier this month, HHS reinstated 328 NIOSH employees after hundreds of the institute’s staffers received termination letters this spring.
Kennedy said he wanted to work with the senator on the issue, noting that “we need to protect our miners.”
Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, the top Democrat on the subcommittee, got into a heated clash with Kennedy after challenging him on whether funding for issues like research on rare diseases, Alzheimer’s and cancer centers was related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
While Kennedy faced harsh questioning from Democrats, several Republicans expressed approval of his agenda and sympathy for the secretary. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., ended his questioning by asking if the secretary understood that “there’s nothing you can do that’s going to make many of my Democratic colleagues happy.” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., also thanked Kennedy for “staying strong” and helping taxpayers.
