During a Wednesday hearing, House lawmakers raised concerns regarding significant cuts to medical research and mass layoffs within federal health agencies, as they questioned US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy about the Trump administration’s budget proposals that could lead to further reductions.
Democratic members of the House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies subcommittee sought clarification on this year’s cuts to healthcare programs, medical research, and staffing before discussing the projected 2026 budget, which promises additional shrinkage for these health agencies. Secretary Kennedy maintained that he would allocate funds in accordance with the 2026 budget as approved by Congress. However, lawmakers like ranking member Steny Hoyer and health subcommittee ranking member Rosa DeLauro emphasized the importance of addressing the immediate impacts of current budget reductions that have been authorized.
DeLauro highlighted the need to differentiate between the dubious 2026 proposals and ongoing actions based on existing legislation. Recently, Democrats on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee reported that the cancellation of National Institutes of Health grants totaled $2.7 billion, surpassing earlier estimates.
In a response posted on X, the Health and Human Services department refuted the report, labeling it as “unequivocally false” and asserting that it was politically driven. As a point of defense regarding the layoffs and funding cuts, Secretary Kennedy remarked that these reductions aimed to eliminate redundancy and suggested the proposed budget would further streamline certain programs. He also noted that he had made efforts to protect specific initiatives, such as Head Start, distancing himself from some decisions made by the US Department of Government Efficiency.
The discussions reflect ongoing tensions regarding health funding and research priorities in federal budgets and raise critical questions about how proposed changes will impact public health and safety. The hearing serves as a reminder of the complex interplay between public policy, health research funding, and the administration’s budgetary decisions.