Overview

• HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee for the third time in a week, defending a proposed 26% cut to the department's discretionary budget for 2026.
• The proposed budget includes an $18 billion reduction in NIH funding, raising concerns from lawmakers about the future of biomedical research and America's global leadership in science.
• Kennedy clashed with Sen. Patty Murray over withheld funding for childcare and research grants, with Murray accusing him of enacting budget cuts before congressional approval.
• Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and other Republicans questioned the elimination of NIOSH programs, warning of risks to workplace safety and national security goals.
• Kennedy defended the cuts as necessary for efficiency and cost-saving but faced criticism over the impact on public health infrastructure and his controversial vaccine positions.