WASHINGTON — 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 centered on Trump's 2026 budget request for the Department of Health and Human Services, and within minutes, lawmakers expressed concerns about specific programs and funding that would be cut if the proposed budget passes.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., expressed concern in her opening remarks about program eliminations like those affecting 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 concern over NIOSH staffing cuts and a mining safety-related grant cut. NIOSH, which focuses on workplace health and safety, hosts mining research programs. HHS reinstated 328 NIOSH employees this month after hundreds of its staffers received termination letters this spring.
"This is not just a missed opportunity. It undermines our ability to meet national security goals tied to mineral independence and supply chain resilience," Rounds said of the NIOSH-related cuts.
Kennedy said he wanted to work with Rounds on the issue, saying, "We need to protect our miners."
Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, the top Democrat on the subcommittee, got into a heated clash with Kennedy after she challenged him about whether funding for issues like research on rare diseases, Alzheimer's and cancer centers was related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
"This is a fun game we're playing," Kennedy remarked sarcastically when Baldwin's time ran out before he could answer the question.
"It's not a game," Baldwin responded as Kennedy criticized her for not giving him time to respond to her questions.
Later, Sen. Patty Murray’s questioning of Kennedy over cuts to child care-related programs also devolved into an argument.
After Murray, D-Wash., asked who made the decision to withhold certain child care and development-related funds, Kennedy tried to pivot to talking about the Biden administration, to Murray's objection.
Kennedy then pointed to Murray’s decades in the Senate, alleging that she “presided over the destruction of the health of the American people.”
“Mr. Secretary, seriously,” Murray said.
Kennedy talked over Murray as she tried to redirect him to her questions, accusing her of not doing her job.
Capito ultimately chimed in to ask Kennedy to allow Murray to ask questions.
Murray repeated her question, and Kennedy said the decision to withhold the funding “was made by my department.”
While Kennedy faced harsh questioning from Democrats, several Republicans expressed approval of his agenda and sympathy for him. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., ended his questioning by asking whether he 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.
The White House's proposal for the 2026 budget would slash HHS' discretionary funding by 26%, hitting offices like the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, the most. Under the proposed budget, the NIH's funds would be slashed by nearly $18 billion compared with fiscal year 2025 levels.
Capito highlighted the impact of the NIH's research in her opening remarks, praising research that she called "extremely important." Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told Kennedy that LIHEAP was "absolutely vital for thousands" of people.
"The administration's new budget seeks to eliminate what is truly a critical program," said Collins, who chairs the full committee.
When he was asked whether he would work with the committee to try to restore the program, Kennedy said, "Absolutely."
Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., was the first to bring up the measles outbreak, an area in which Kennedy — a longtime anti-vaccine advocate — has faced intense scrutiny.
Kennedy told Moran that “the best way to prevent the spread of measles is through vaccination," and he touted his response to the outbreak. “We’ve done a better job at controlling measles since I came into this agency than any other country in the world," he said.
During last week's hearings in front of the House Appropriations and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees last week, Kennedy refused to answer questions about the safety and effectiveness of major types of vaccines.
"I don't think people should be taking medical advice from me," said the nation's top health official, after he was asked for his position on the measles vaccine.
Kennedy has a history of promoting false claims about vaccines, including the measles vaccine during an outbreak. The United States has had more than 1,000 reported measles cases so far this year, according to NBC News data.
HHS is slashing its workforce and reorganizing divisions and offices. It announced in a news release in March that it would cut its workforce from 82,000 to 62,000 full-time employees. It also announced that the number of divisions and offices would be reduced, a move it said was intended to "streamline the functions of the Department."
