HHS Secretary Defends Budget Cuts

Published June 02, 2025

By AACOM Government Relations

Federal Policy OME Advocate

  • On May 14, 2025, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before Congress for the first time since his confirmation.
  • He defended his proposal to eliminate 10,000 federal jobs and implement sweeping budget cuts, including $18 billion from the NIH and $3.6 billion from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  • Lawmakers from both parties questioned the potential impact on public health, research and agency operations. Kennedy argued that the reductions would streamline efficiency, claiming that reduced bureaucracy and consolidated divisions would improve HHS’s responsiveness.
  • View the full hearing.