Summary of Sec. Kennedy Hearings on FY 26 HHS Budget Request

On May 14, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before the House Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) about the fiscal year 2026 (FY 26) HHS budget request. These are the first hearings for the FY 26 HHS budget request. Sec. Kennedy used these hearings to outline how the budget request aims to help HHS meet its goals of reducing the high rates of chronic disease and delivering services to Americans in the most efficient way possible. Republicans generally applauded the Secretary for focusing on trying to reduce the high rates of chronic disease and on making HHS more efficient. Democrats expressed concerns about the impact of reductions in force at HHS, the impounding or freezing of already appropriated congressional funds, and the proposed cuts and reorganization within HHS outlined in the FY 26 skinny budget request. Democrats also used the hearings to argue that Republicans plan to gut Medicaid through the reconciliation legislation currently being considered in the House of Representatives, a claim that Republicans denied.

WITNESS TESTIMONY

During his testimony in both hearings, Sec. Kennedy outlined several priorities in the FY 26 budget:

• Consolidating mental health programs to make them more efficient in addressing rising rates of mental health illnesses and substance use disorders.
• Address priorities related to nutrition, exercise, and physical activity (through $94B request, including for the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA)
• Expand food safety efforts at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Funding research that is innovative, while cutting research that he said is dangerous, and research based on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Promoting the use of new health technologies to manage data, including AI.
• Restoring trust in public health agencies.

OPENING STATEMENTS

• House Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee Chair Robert Aderholt (R-AL) 
• House Appropriations Labor-HHS Subcommittee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
• Senate HELP Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA)

MEMBER QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION

Allocation of Appropriated Funding and HHS Workforce Reductions

In the House hearing, Democratic representatives used much of their time to argue that the Trump administration has illegally frozen congressionally appropriated funding, including at HHS. Subcommittee Ranking Member DeLauro (D-CT) and other Democratic Representatives pressed Sec. Kennedy on this and asked if he views congressionally directed appropriations as suggestions or the law. In answer to these questions, Sec. Kennedy stated that HHS follows the law and added that if Congress appropriates funds to HHS, he will spend them. Democratic members were skeptical of Sec. Kennedy’s answers. In response to questions on this topic, Subcommittee Chair Aderholdt (R-AL) reminded members to focus on the FY 26 request.

In both the House and Senate hearings, Democratic representatives also asked for information regarding decisions to reduce the HHS workforce. In response to questions from Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) about whether Sec. Kennedy or Elon Musk made these decisions, Sec. Kennedy said he and his staff had the final say and that Musk only provided guidance. When asked by Rep. Lois Frankel (DFL) if he had conversations with members of Congress about these decisions, Sec. Kennedy mentioned talking with Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), but did not name any Representatives.

Chronic Disease

In the House hearing, Republican and Democratic representatives expressed support for addressing chronic health issues by improving nutrition and promoting physical activity. However, while Republicans mostly praised the Trump administration for what it has done so far in this area, Democratic representatives argued that the FY 26 budget request will make it harder to address chronic health issues. Representatives such as Rep. Madeline Dean (D-PA) and Rep. Watson Coleman (D-NJ) expressed concerns about proposed cuts at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration and the Office of Minority Health. Sec. Kennedy expressed his view that these were not cuts, but rather about restructuring HHS to eliminate redundant programs. Democratic members rejected this answer.

In the Senate hearing, Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement and inquired about specific measures being taken. In response, Secretary Kennedy highlighted efforts to promote healthy foods through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) expressed support for eliminating artificial dyes in food.

Medicaid

Democratic representatives and senators also took the opportunity to argue that the reconciliation legislation moving through the House of Representatives will cut Medicaid and lead to reductions in health care coverage and worse health outcomes. Rep. Josh Harder (D-CA) said that these cuts would hurt vulnerable Americans and slammed Medicaid work requirements as being overburdensome. Senate HELP Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said the reconciliation legislation was making these cuts to Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for the rich. Sec. Kennedy and Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) argued that these cuts were focused on cutting waste, fraud, and abuse within the program and ensuring Medicaid does not provide coverage for illegal immigrants or non-disabled adults who are not working.

Vaccines

Many Democratic members in both the House and Senate hearings expressed concern about the ongoing measles outbreak in Texas. Sen. Patty Murphy (D-WA) questioned Sec. Kennedy about new standards for vaccine approvals and asked him to clarify remarks made in the House about vaccination, specifically whether he recommends the measles vaccine. Kennedy responded by stating that he would tell the truth, acknowledged concerns about vaccines, and claimed that people have been misled. When Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) asked where his vaccine recommendations come from, Kennedy said they are based on many different sources.

In response to Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), he ultimately affirmed that the measles vaccine is the most effective way to prevent the spread of the disease.

OTHER TOPICS

• Reps. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) and Jake Ellzey (R-TX) expressed concerns about the whereabouts of unaccompanied immigrant children, arguing that HHS under the Biden administration failed to provide proper oversight. Sec. Kennedy said he was committed to finding these children. Rep. DeLauro (D-CT) countered that if Republicans are so concerned about this, they should start with the children who, she stated, were still missing after actions during President Trump’s term related to family separation.
• Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) expressed concerns about overreliance on Chinese biotech and pharmaceutical supply chains. Sec. Kennedy agreed with these concerns.
• Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) expressed his support for the 340B program and asked about plans to transfer the program’s oversight to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
• Sen. Josh Hawley (R-AR) expressed opposition to pharmaceutical advertising and alluded to legislation on this topic that he is introducing.
• Reps. Aderholt (R-AL) and Julia Letlow (R-LA) expressed concerns about rural healthcare, with Rep. Aderholt (R-AL) focusing on the wage index for low-volume hospitals and Rep. Letlow (R-LA) highlighting the issue of rural health deserts. Sec. Kennedy expressed support for taking action to support rural health providers.
• Rep. Pocan (D-WI) asked Sec. Kennedy if he was committed to addressing overpayments to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Sec. Kennedy said he was but also expressed general support for the MA program.
• Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) expressed concerns about closing the Office of Long COVID Research and reducing funding to address the prevalence of neurological diseases.