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Week Ahead: HELP Wanted

Date: May 18, 2026

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) finished third in his primary, with Trump-endorsed Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA-5) and state Treasurer John Flemming advancing to a run-off June 27. His loss is a big shakeup of federal health care policy given his leadership of HELP and position on Senate Finance. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is facing a shakeup of its own. Let’s get into it. Welcome to the Week Ahead!

The Administration

The hunt is on for a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner after Marty Makary resigned from the role on May 12. In the meantime, Kyle Diamantas will be leading the agency. Health and Human Services (HHS) Chief Counselor Chris Klomp is leading the search, and there are already several names being floated. Biopharma stakeholders are advocating for Richard Pazdur, the founding director of the Oncology Center of Excellence within FDA, and a previous director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Some other names reportedly being considered include Stephen Hahn, a former FDA commissioner, and Brett Giroir, a former acting FDA commissioner and assistant secretary for health. President Trump may also look inside the ranks of the FDA for a replacement. This could include principal deputy commissioner Sara Brenner or deputy commissioner for policy, legislation and international affairs Grace Graham.

The vacancy is yet another hole in the federal government’s health leadership as the FDA joins the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Office of the Surgeon General as being without Senate-confirmed leadership.

The newly formed HHS Healthcare Advisory Committee will hold its first meeting on May 18. On the agenda are member introductions, discussion of committee bylaws, an overview of the working group scope, and a public comment period.

The Senate

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) is planning to launch an initiative focused on addressing challenges related to long-term care this week. This follows previous work focused on prescription drug costs and private insurance market reforms. We have been told that the initiative will follow the same process as the previous ones, listening sessions, the development of white papers, and public-facing requests for written comments on key policy questions.

While unsuccessful at his primary, Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) will preside over a May 21 hearing on the provision of gender transition procedures to minors. This follows the announcement of an investigation by Cassidy into providers that he has accused of offering pediatric gender transition procedures. Given the results of the May 16^th Primary, this may be one of the last Committee investigations he leads. However, don’t expect him to fade quietly into the night. He still has influence as Chair of the Committee with responsibility for approving President Trump’s nominations for CDC director, FDA Commissioner, and Surgeon General.

Health Care Hearings This Week

May 20: Senate Indian Affairs hearing on Bureau of Indian Affairs and IHS FY 27 budget request
May 20: Senate VA Committee hearing on FY 27 and FY 28 VA appropriations
May 20: Senate Aging Committee hearing on senior safety

The House

Reconciliation 3.0 rumors are still making their way around the Capitol Complex. Our conversations indicate that there is a push from some House Republicans to include a provision to decouple Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) from high-deductible plans, as well as measures to combat fraud, waste, and abuse within health care programs.

Speaking of fraud, we’ve been told that House Ways and Means Republicans are aiming for a markup of anti-fraud legislation this week. The working list reportedly includes measures to address hospital, home health, and durable medical equipment (DME) fraud. Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO-8) has also expressed interested in examining hospital 990 forms.

But wait, there’s more: We’ve also picked up reports that House Republican leadership is planning a “fraud week” in June, during which they plan to consider anti-fraud legislation, which could include legislation to target fraud in health care programs.

In the meantime, the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee will put the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act and the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule in the spotlight during a hearing on May 20. Based on conversations we’ve had, it sounds like the goal of this hearing is to focus on how provider payment challenges impact health care affordability and understand where member interest is on this topic.

Other Health Care Hearings This Week

May 20: House Education and Workforce HELP Subcommittee hearing on politics, unions, and antisemitism in health care
May 20: House VA Committee legislative hearing, including Veteran health care bills
May 21: House Natural Resources Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee legislative hearing to consider the IHS Emergency Claims Parity Act

There You Have It

A Triple Crown winner is off the table for this year as Golden Tempo, the winner of the Kentucky Derby, did not race in the Preakness Stakes on May 16. Will you still be tuning in to watch the Belmont Stakes? Let us know. Make it a great week!

Week Ahead: Ballroom Blues

Date: May 11, 2026

Congress is back after a short recess, and President Trump’s ballroom remodel has been paused yet again, and some congressional Republicans are worried that the $1 billion budget request for security related to the ballroom could get them into some hot water in the lead up to November midterms. But what is the status of Reconciliation 2.0? Let’s get into it. Welcome to the Week Ahead!

The Administration

The spotlight has shifted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Commissioner Marty Makary, as concerns mount about agency effectiveness under his leadership. The FDA recently rejected a drug that would treat melanoma from Replimune, citing insufficient data on the drug’s effectiveness due to the reliance on a single-arm trial design. Commissioner Makary will need to defend FDA decisions as he appears before the Senate Appropriations Ag-FDA Subcommittee on May 13 to testify about the FY 2027 (FY 27) FDA budget proposal. But he may not get the chance if President Trump follows through on his reported plans to fire Commissioner Makary…

Meanwhile, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is hard at work developing the interim final rule on state implementation of the Big, Beautiful Bill’s community engagement requirements ahead of the June 1st, deadline. Nebraska recently became the first state to begin enforcement, but stakeholders are concerned about the effects on eligibility and enrollment. The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) has similar concerns about the requirements nationwide and voted to include a recommendation for CMS to develop a transparent monitoring and evaluation plan that will be included in its June 2026 report to Congress.

The newly formed Healthcare Advisory Committee (HAC) will have their first meeting on May 18. The committee was formed to advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the CMS Administrator on programs and policies that can improve the US health care system. According to a press release announcing the Committee, HHS leadership intends for the Committee to focus on improving preventive care, reducing administrative burden with the health care system, and strengthening the sustainability of public health programs. The meeting will include public introduction of Committee members, the Committee vision, and establishment of Committee bylaws. Comments are due by 5pm on May 13 and can be submitted to hac@cms.hhs.gov.

The Senate

We’re on primary watch, as Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA-5) compete for the Republican spot on the November ballot. Sen. Cassidy chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and sits on the Senate Finance Committee, so a potential loss for him would have big implications for Senate health care committees in the 120^th Congress. Sen. Cassidy has pushed back against some of Health and Human Services Sec. Kennedy’s policies, most notably changes to the childhood vaccine schedule. He has also been called out by President Trump as a roadblock to the confirmation of President Trump’s nomination of Casey Means for US Surgeon General. On the other hand, Rep. Letlow has aligned herself closely with the make America healthy again (MAHA) movement, receiving endorsements from President Trump and the MAHA PAC.

If Sen. Cassidy loses the primary, he will still have another 7 months to exert his influence in the Senate. That might mean we see him become more outspoken about his disagreements on vaccines. Sen. Cassidy’s would also be able to exert influence over the confirmation process of Dr. Erica Swartz to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Nicole Saphier to be Surgeon General, as well as a possible new nominee for FDA Commissioner.

Health Care Hearings This Week

May 13: Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing on COVID-19 whistleblower testimony

The House

House Republicans are keeping their eyes on the prize: the promise of Reconciliation 3.0. House Republican leadership was able to keep the Reconciliation 2.0 package focused on immigration enforcement funding through assurances of a 3^rd package for other priorities, such as health care. House Republican leadership is committed to getting Reconciliation 2.0 on the President’s desk before his June 1 deadline. Meantime, House conservatives are working hard to keep the conversation about 3.0 afloat.

The House is kicking off floor consideration of FFY 27 appropriations legislation this week with the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs appropriations bill. The House Rules Committee is scheduled to meet on the bill on May 12 and floor consideration is expected later in the week. The bill includes funding for the Veterans Health Administration.

New health care legislation may be on the horizon, as our conversations on the Hill indicate that the House Ways and Means Committee is planning for a markup of anti-fraud legislation, including items related to health care. We are also hearing that the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee is looking to take action in response to the recent series of hearing about health care affordability.

Health Care Hearings This Week

May 14: House Veterans’ Affairs Committee markup of several Veteran health care bills

There You Have It

Did you know that Mother’s Day can be traced back to movements by women reformers to improve national public health and hygiene and now honors the role of mothers? What Mother’s Day traditions do you have? Let us know. Make it a great week!

House Ways and Means Committee Hearing on Health Systems’ Impact on Costs

Date: May 1, 2026

On April 28, 2026, the House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing to examine the cost of health care and invited hospital system CEOs to testify on the role of these systems in addressing health care cost concerns. Additionally, Democratic members of the committee invited the President of a health care advocacy organization. There was bipartisan concern about the rising costs of providing health care, as well as questions about site-neutral payments, hospital classifications, and the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).

OPENING STATEMENTS

Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO-8)
Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA-1)

WITNESS TESTIMONY

Mr. Sam N. Hazen, Chief Executive Officer, HCA Healthcare – Testimony
Mr. Wright Lassiter III, President and Chief Executive Officer, CommonSpirit Health – Testimony
Dr. Brian G. Donley, President and Chief Executive Officer, New York-Presbyterian – Testimony
Dr. Michael Waldrum, Chief Executive Officer, ECU Health – Testimony
Mr. Brad Woodhouse, President, Protect Our Care – Testimony

MEMBER DISCUSSION

Site Neutral Payments

Multiple Republican members were curious about site-neutral payments. Reps. David Kustoff (R-TN-8) and Greg Steube (R-FL-17) wanted to understand how hospitals justify increases in payments for services performed in hospitals as opposed to those same services provided in an outpatient setting. Dr. Donley emphasized that patients in hospitals are often sicker than those seen in other settings. Mr. Hazen shared that the extra fees support broader hospital operations, such as the 24/7 staffing, that ambulatory centers do not have. Dr. Waldrum added that hospitals have federal mandates to provide care to all patients, which the additional payments help meet. Mr. Lassiter and Dr. Donley indicated that they would be open to some reforms in the payment system to shrink the differences in site payment.

Impact of OBBBA

Democratic members of the Committee used today’s hearing to raise concerns about how the OBBBA could impact future hospital costs. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL-7) asked Dr. Waldrum to explain what steps ECU Health is taking in regard to provisions in the OBBBA. Dr. Waldrum explained that the bill creates a fairly large reduction in payment for rural areas that will not be offset by the included Rural Health Transformation Program which will likely lead to reductions in services offered at provider sites. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV-4) asked about the service impacts of the OBBBA, to which Mr. Lassiter explained that CommonSpirit Health estimates a loss of $5 Billion in reimbursement over the next decade.

Hospital Classification

A few Republican members wanted clarification on the tax-exempt status on some hospitals. Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA-11) asked if there was a difference in which for profit and non-profit hospitals operated, to which Mr. Hazen said there was not. Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC-3) questioned how a hospital can justify being for-profit with the high cost of care. Mr. Hazen stated that the model of HCA Healthcare is working well for providing care to patients and they can still provide uncompensated care as needed. Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK-1) had concerns about how tax-exempt status and community benefit spending can be reported as an individual facility within a large system. Dr. Donley responded that hospitals are following IRS guidelines when they report their community benefit, which New York-Presbyterian estimates is about 4 times the amount they would contribute to taxes. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11) asked what Congress should keep in mind if it were to set minimums for charity care and community benefits. Dr. Donley requested that Congress should not only consider charity care in calculations but should also include the care reimbursed under Medicaid, which is the bulk of New York-Presbyterian’s community benefit.

There were also strong Republican concerns about how hospitals are classified as rural vs urban. Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO-8), as well as Reps. Carol Miller (R-WV-1) and Rudy Yakam (R-IN-2) all wondered how New York-Presbyterian could be classified as a rural hospital when it operates in Manhattan, NY. Dr. Donley explained that while New York-Presbyterian is not geographically rural, they are a rural referral hospital under regulations from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Chairman Smith and Rep. Yakam questioned whether these regulations should be changed to prevent the classification. Dr. Donley emphasized that Congress needs to ensure the sustainability of rural and urban hospitals.

Cost and Competition

There were bipartisan questions about the rising cost of hospital care. Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE-3) asked how HCA Health can justify charging private insurance companies 3 times the Medicare reimbursement rate for the same services. Mr. Hazen explained that hospitals are seeing a greatly increased demand for services and providing care has become more complex. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1) questioned how New York-Presbyterian sets higher prices than surrounding systems. Dr. Donley stated that pricing is complex but is based on the quality and complexity of care, as well as underlying hospital costs. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA-4) was curious about cash pay discounts. Mr. Hazen shared that for HCA Healthcare cash payments resulted in a more than 20% reduction in costs because the hospital system did not need to deal with the health insurance administrative complexity. Rep. Susan DelBene (D-WA-1) question the usefulness of prior authorization practices and the increased administrative cost and burden. Mr. Lassiter shared that CommonSpirit estimates that prior authorization costs the system more than $1 billion in additional work each year. Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA-1) highlighted that the cost of technology and prescription drugs has greatly increased, which is also a driver of increased hospital spending.

Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37) and Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19) wanted to understand the role that Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement plays in rising costs. Representatives from multiple health systems shared that CMS reimburses less than the cost of providing care, which means they must make up the difference in other areas. Mr. Lassiter also stated that CommonSpirit currently has $4.3 billion in unpaid claims from Medicare and Medicaid patients.

Rep. Ron Estes (R-KS-4) questioned the rapid consolidation of health systems, suggesting that this is explained by a desire to increase profit. Dr. Waldrum argued that consolidation was not driven by profit but instead occurred because hospitals in rural areas could not afford to remain operational if they were not part of a larger system. Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT-1) raised concerns about smaller markets driving anti-competitive contracts. Mr. Lassiter shared that CommonSpirit operates in many different markets, and their contracts are not market-based. Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24) suggested repealing the ban on physician-owned hospitals to increase market competition. Mr. Hazen stated that he is for competition, but that physician-owned hospitals do not have emergency rooms or provide care to uninsured populations, which means that they would be operating on an unequal playing field.

Senate Fiscal Year 2027 HHS Budget Hearings

Date: April 28, 2026

On April 21 and 22, 2026, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. appeared before the Senate Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee, the Senate Finance Committee, and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee to defend the fiscal year 2027 (FY 27) president’s budget request for HHS. During these hearings, Sec. Kennedy focused on the administration’s work on prior authorization, increasing transparency, and emphasizing whole foods. There were bipartisan concerns about vaccines and health care affordability, with an emphasis on most-favored-nation drug pricing deals. Senators also discussed nutrition initiatives and rural health issues, among other topics.

OPENING STATEMENTS

Senate Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
Senate Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee Ranking Member Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA)

WITNESS TESTIMONY

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary, Health and Human Services – Testimony

MEMBER DISCUSSION

One thing that distinguished the Senate hearings from the House hearings was that concerns about certain vaccine policies pursued by Sec. Kennedy were bipartisan. During the Senate Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) asked whether HHS was planning to release the funding allocated to the GAVI Vaccine Alliance for FY 25 and FY 26. Sec. Kennedy explained that, in his view, GAVI has been intransigent and previously gave a lot of money to the World Health Organization (WHO), but he said he is willing to work to resolve these issues. During the Senate Finance Committee hearing, Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) questioned if the rise of measles cases was due to lower vaccination rates, to which Sec. Kennedy responded that there has been a global rise in measles cases and that the US is handling it better than other countries. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY)(R-WY) raised concerns that changes to the vaccine schedule and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) were creating confusion for families and providers. He requested that the secretary commit to ensuring vaccine guidance is clear, evidence-based, and trustworthy. Sec. Kennedy assured Sen. Barrasso (R-WY) that new vaccines would undergo placebo-controlled trials to ensure their safety, but said he could not say more due to ongoing litigation. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) expressed concern that the US experienced the highest modern childhood mortality rate from influenza in 2025, noting that most children who died had not received the flu vaccine. Sec. Kennedy responded that the flu vaccine’s efficacy is low. When Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) asked if there was work to create a more effective flu vaccine, Sec. Kennedy said that he is hoping to create a complete flu vaccine that would not need to be given annually. During today’s hearings, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) asked if President Trump approved of firing members of ACIP and changing the charter. Sec. Kennedy did not know whether President Trump personally approved the decisions, but stated that the domestic policy council approved them.

In contrast to concerns about Sec. Kennedy’s vaccine policies, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) raised an alarm at the Senate Finance Committee about adverse events, including deaths, from COVID-19 vaccines, asking if HHS is creating an ICD code for vaccine injuries. Sec. Kennedy shared that HHS is actively working on an ICD code and that studies on vaccine injuries will be completed by HHS.

At the HELP Committee hearing, Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) did not directly question Sec. Kennedy’s personal opinions on vaccines, but noted his disagreement with Sec. Kennedy’s conclusion that a certain study indicated that vaccines were not the cause of a decrease in childhood mortality. Chairman Cassidy (R-LA) said that the study actually found it was a cause, among other factors. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) questioned Sec. Kennedy’s support for vaccines. Sec. Kennedy countered that he is supportive, citing the recent approval of a cancer vaccine.

Affordability

There were bipartisan concerns about health care affordability across the Senate hearings. During the Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee hearing, Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) asked about 340B and ways to ensure it actually helps those in need. Sec. Kennedy shared his concern, citing fraud and abuse as the main problem that has allowed more hospitals to use the program. He noted the current litigation surrounding the program but said that Congress is the only body that can make changes. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) specifically asked about the proposal to turn 340B into a rebate model, which would require hospitals to pay upfront. Sec. Kennedy didn’t know where the proposal sits but committed to ensuring it doesn’t just benefit pharma. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) requested that details of the most-favored-nation agreements be shared with Congress so they could understand exactly what they were being asked to codify. Sec. Kennedy explained that some aspects can be shared, but others are proprietary and contain sensitive information. He directed Sen. Merkley (D-OR) to talk directly with Chris Klomp, Director of Medicare and Deputy Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). During the Finance Committee hearing, Ranking Member Wyden (D-OR) and Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VM), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) also requested information on the most-favored-nation pricing agreements, pointing out that many times the drugs with agreements on the TrumpRx website are cheaper to purchase in other nations or through insurance plans. Sec. Kennedy again responded that some information would be shared and that the drug prices are the lowest in the world for the specific brands of drugs advertised. Sen. Tom Tillis (R-NC) questioned how the most-favored-nation pricing deals would actually lower drug costs compared with other pricing agreements that, in his view, have not worked. Sec. Kennedy explained that each agreement was unique and that the agreements have proven to be helpful. Sen. Tillis (R-NC) then asked how Congress was expected to codify deals that are so unique to each company, to which Sec. Kennedy said that Klomp was working on the legislative language. Sen. Cassidy (R-LA) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) asked if Sec. Kennedy supported expanding access to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to improve health care affordability. Sec. Kennedy was in favor of the proposals.

Research

There was bipartisan concern about investment in biomedical research, specifically maintaining the U.S. status as a leader. During the Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee hearing, full Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) asked about the proposed 15% cap on indirect research costs across the board, which she opposes and that Congress rejected in FY 26 negotiations. Sec. Kennedy stated that nobody wants to cut anything from the agencies, but the U.S. has a debt that needs to be addressed, and HHS was asked to cut costs by 12%. Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee Ranking Member Baldwin (D-WI) asked specifically about cancer and Alzheimer’s research funding under the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Sec. Kennedy shared her belief that there should be more research on both and stated that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is one of few agencies with a proposed budget increase, which Sen. Baldwin (D-WI) countered is only a .01% increase.

Rural Health

Across the hearings, there was bipartisan questioning on the future of rural health. Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee Chair Capito (R-WV) asked generally what Sec. Kennedy plans on doing to address rural health concerns. The secretary explained that both Republicans and Democrats have made it clear that rural health is a priority, which is why they implemented the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) to improve rural facilities and care. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) later asked if he was pleased with the rollout of the RHTP. Sec. Kennedy shared that he couldn’t be happier as money is out the door and they can begin seeing impacts. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MI) questioned how to adjust the CMS Area Wage Index (AWI), which she argued is destabilizing rural hospitals, and how to retain the Office of Rural Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sec. Kennedy agreed that the AWI is very dangerous, but it is up to Congress to make any changes. The secretary explained that he is working to return the CDC to their core mission of addressing infectious diseases, but he expects congressional feedback. During the Senate Finance Committee hearing, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) highlighted the success of RHTP for rural communities and requested Sec. Kennedy’s support for altering the AWI for rural hospitals. Sec. Kennedy once again voiced his support for the change but stated that action would need to come from Congress before HHS could make changes. Sen. Marshall (R-KS) highlighted the rural emergency hospital model and the positive effects of using telehealth in emergency rooms. Sec. Kennedy agreed with the model, saying that emergency care is highly needed in rural areas and telehealth is extremely helpful. Chairman Crapo (R-ID) was curious about the most innovative uses of RHTP funding. Sec. Kennedy shared that the state applications were extraordinary and that he is most excited about the use of telehealth to improve care delivery and efforts to improve residency programs.

Nutrition

Senators also spent time clarifying the various nutrition initiatives HHS plans to pursue. During the Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee hearing, Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) asked what HHS is doing to strengthen and expand Head Start. Sec. Kennedy explained that they have proposed maintaining the budget at FY 26 levels and allocating additional funds to develop school infrastructure to provide fresh, nutritious food. Sen. Rounds (R-SD) raised concerns with lab-grown fake meat. Sec. Kennedy shared his concern and committed to exercising FDA oversight. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) focused his questioning on glyphosate and its dangers. Sec. Kennedy agreed that glyphosate is not healthy to consume and can cause cancer. However, he defended Trump’s executive order boosting domestic production because the EO doesn’t increase glyphosate use. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) asked how HHS plans to communicate concerns about ultra-processed foods best and ensure Americans aren’t eating them. Sec. Kennedy explained that HHS has developed a definition under review, and once it is approved, it will enforce mandatory front-of-package labeling. During the Senate Finance Committee hearing, Chairman Crapo (R-ID) asked how HHS plans to build on actions taken to improve nutrition education. Sec. Kennedy shared that many medical schools have committed to including nutrition education in their curricula, and he is working with states to develop legislative plans on the topic. During the Senate HELP Committee hearing, Ranking Member Sanders (I-VT) questioned the timeline for placing warning labels on unhealthy foods. Sec. Kennedy said that HHS had recently completed their definition of ultra-processed foods and that it was now undergoing interagency review. Ranking Member Sanders (I-VT) also asked if Sec. Kennedy agreed with banning TV ads for junk food, and Sec. Kennedy affirmed. Sens. Ashley Moody (R-FL) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) praised the secretary for his accomplishments in improving nutrition and asked about next steps. Sec. Kennedy highlighted work on reviewing substances generally recognized as safe and empowering physicians to give better nutrition advice. Sen. Hassan (D-NH) agreed on the importance of healthy food options but questioned how families could afford fresh meat and produce amid high food prices. Sec. Kennedy shared that the cost of food is affordable and that families have many options for healthy food.

HHS Management

There was also bipartisan questioning during the hearings about the management of certain HHS agencies and funding for various projects within them. At the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Barrasso (R-WY) raised strong concerns about the fate of the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), specifically whether the task force will continue to meet and how the evaluation process will work. Sec. Kennedy assured Sen. Barrasso (R-WY) that he agrees that the task force is important and that new members will be selected shortly. From there, Sec. Kennedy said meetings will resume and the task force’s functions will remain the same, with additional representation from a broader range of specialties. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) associated herself with Sen. Barrasso’s comments and questioned why Sec. Kennedy is proposing cuts to various screening programs, such as those for women’s health, depression, and smoking cessation. Sec. Kennedy affirmed his commitment to preventive health and shared that, under the proposed budget, preventive care is being returned to states through block grants, so each state can administer the care. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) asked Sec. Kennedy about the low funding levels for CDC programs on rabies and prion diseases. Sec. Kennedy explained that cuts were necessary and that these diseases affect very few people each year, so focusing the budget on chronic disease makes more sense.

During the Senate HELP Committee hearing, Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) raised concerns about the proposed elimination of many programs and departments that support individuals with disabilities. Sec. Kennedy stated that he was asked to make funding cuts across the board but would be happy to talk to Sen. Kim about how to support the disability community. Sen. Alan Armstrong (R-OK) questioned the consolidation of many agencies into the Administration for a Healthy America. Sec. Kennedy emphasized that the reorganization would streamline the agencies, reduce overlap, and improve efficiency.