{"id":3160,"date":"2025-05-16T15:15:45","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T15:15:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/16\/lawmakers-press-kennedy-on-mass-cuts-canceled-medical-research\/"},"modified":"2025-05-16T15:15:45","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T15:15:45","slug":"lawmakers-press-kennedy-on-mass-cuts-canceled-medical-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/16\/lawmakers-press-kennedy-on-mass-cuts-canceled-medical-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Lawmakers press Kennedy on mass cuts, canceled medical research"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/action-bar\/instances\/cmao8ls2p005826qfd0ozeu8s@published\" data-label-id-prefix=\"action-bar-start-of-article\" class=\"action-bar\" data-dynamic-breakpoint-placement=\"{&quot;extraLarge&quot;:{&quot;placement&quot;:&quot;.layout-article-elevate__left&quot;}}\" 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data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/social-share\/instances\/cmao8ls2p005b26qf1oz19bz1@published\" class=\"social-share_labelled-list\">\n<div class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share-links vossi-social-share_labelled-list\" data-type=\"share-links\">        <button class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=80401312489&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2025%2F05%2F14%2Fhealth%2Fkennedy-cuts-house-senate&amp;display=popup\" data-type=\"facebook\" aria-label=\"share with facebook\" title=\"Share with Facebook\">                                <span class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share-links--label\">Facebook<\/span>        <\/button>        <button class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Check%20out%20this%20article%3A&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2025%2F05%2F14%2Fhealth%2Fkennedy-cuts-house-senate\" data-type=\"x\" aria-label=\"share with x\" title=\"Share with X\">                                <span class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share-links--label\">Tweet<\/span>        <\/button>                                        <span class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share-links--label\">Email<\/span>                <button class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/05\/14\/health\/kennedy-cuts-house-senate\" data-type=\"copy\" aria-label=\"copy link to clipboard\" title=\"Copy link to clipboard\">                                <span class=\"social-share_labelled-list__share-links--label\">Link<\/span>        <\/button>        <\/p>\n<div class=\"social-share_labelled-list__copied\" data-type=\"message\">                        Link Copied!        <\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>    <button class=\"social-share_labelled-list__open\" data-type=\"open\" aria-label=\"open social share\" title=\"Open social share\">            <\/button>    <button class=\"social-share_labelled-list__close\" data-type=\"close\" aria-label=\"close social share\" title=\"Close social share\">            <\/button><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"action-bar__buttons\">            <button class=\"action-bar__button\" data-title=\"follow\">                                        Follow            <\/button>            <button class=\"action-bar__button\" data-title=\"share options\">                                <\/button>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmao8ls2p005a26qf5kxzhv9d@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Lawmakers repeatedly pressed US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy on canceled medical research and mass layoffs during Wednesday hearings on Trump administration proposals that could lead to even broader cuts.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmao8mugw00093b6mjeusi9fi@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Democrats on the House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies subcommittee repeatedly asked the secretary to explain cuts this year to health care programs, medical research and staffing before discussing a 2026 budget that would shrink the health agencies further. Kennedy also testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on Wednesday afternoon.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmao8mugw000a3b6m1u28t4ha@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Kennedy insisted he would spend the funds that Congress appropriated in the 2026 budget according to law. But Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee, including ranking member Steny Hoyer and health subcommittee ranking member Rosa DeLauro, were focused on the agency\u2019s spending this year, for budgets already authorized.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmao8mugw000b3b6mxeio8nxb@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cWe have to really keep a clear line here between a questionable proposal for \u201826 and what is going on right now against the legislation that we have passed and that has been signed into law,\u201d DeLauro said.    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/related-content\/instances\/cmao8nka3000k3b6mh9el8dd3@published\" data-component-name=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content-elevate related-content--article\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n<header class=\"related-content__title related-content__title-text\" data-editable=\"content.title\">Related article<\/header>\n<section class=\"related-content__body\">\n<div class=\"related-content__image image__related-content\">\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmalv93cu000i28p5f08dcoab@published\" class=\"image-elevate image__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"2025-03-22T003511Z_1348048887_RC2ZHDA6F2WD_RTRMADP_3_USA-TRUMP-DEMOCRATS.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--eq-large&quot;: 660}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\" data-original-height=\"2000\" data-original-width=\"3000\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/2025-03-22t003511z-1348048887-rc2zhda6f2wd-rtrmadp-3-usa-trump-democrats.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\">           <\/div>\n<div class=\"image__metadata-container media__metadata-container\">\n<div class=\"image__metadata media__metadata\">\n<div class=\"image__caption attribution\">    <span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\">&#8220;Trump\u2019s war on science is not making America healthy again. It is making Americans and people throughout the world sicker,&#8221; Sen. Bernie Sanders said in a statement.<\/span>  <\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\">Kevin Mohatt\/Reuters<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"related-content__headline\">        <span class=\"related-content__headline-text\" data-editable=\"content.headline\">Trump administration cut $2.7 billion in NIH research funding through March, Senate committee minority report says<\/span>      <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmao8mugw000c3b6mm9323hj8@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            The administration\u2019s cancellation of National Institutes of Health grants amounted to $2.7 billion in eliminated research, much higher than previous estimates, according to a report issued by Democrats on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Tuesday.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmao8mugw000d3b6m3fos4nj4@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            In a post on X on Tuesday, HHS called the report \u201cunequivocally false\u201d and said it was politically motivated.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaoboy00001h3b6m5fl5m2rf@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            The secretary defended HHS funding and job cuts in the House subcommtitee hearing, saying that the slashes had reduced redundancy and that the proposed 2026 budget would streamline programs further.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaobqrqs001k3b6mgi42qfpe@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            But he also seemed to distance himself from the eliminations led by the US Department of Government Efficiency and said he had protected certain programs, including HeadStart.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaobqyv5001o3b6mq9h8rt0z@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cThere were many instances where I said \u2018That would hurt us,\u2019 \u201d he told the House committee.    <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"subheader inline-placeholder subheader-elevate\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/cmaobjo5z000l3b6mw7lhxxmp@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"questions-on-vaccination\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">        Questions on vaccination<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmao9qf4000003b6m4abw4fa0@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Kennedy also told House lawmakers Wednesday that Americans should not take advice from him on vaccinations.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaoa4fiq00053b6mcu4khadz@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cMy opinions on vaccines are irrelevant,\u201d he said. \u201cEverybody should make that decision. I seem like I\u2019m being evasive, but I don\u2019t think people should be taking advice, medical advice, from me.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaoa4fiq00063b6men98txu9@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            The comments came after Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wisconsin, asked Kennedy whether he would vaccinate his children against measles today. \u201cProbably for measles,\u201d the secretary answered before adding that vaccination is a personal choice.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaoa4fiq00073b6mvg3e66yw@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Pocan followed up with questions about whether Kennedy would vaccinate his children against chickenpox and polio today. Kennedy noted that chickenpox shots are not required in Europe and said again he did not want to be seen as advising families.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaoa4fiq00083b6meyh3g3m9@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cWhat we\u2019re trying to do is to lay out the pros and cons accurately, as we understand them,\u201d he said.    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/related-content\/instances\/cmaoa6o24000e3b6mvbc644l1@published\" data-component-name=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content-elevate related-content--vertical-video\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n<header class=\"related-content__title related-content__title-text\" data-editable=\"content.title\">Related vertical-video<\/header>\n<section class=\"related-content__body\">\n<div class=\"related-content__image image__related-content\">\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmao9lvj8002627p6eu9q75he@published\" class=\"image-elevate portrait image__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"250514_RFK Hearing VRTC.00_00_20_29.Still003.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--eq-large&quot;: 660}\" data-original-ratio=\"1.7777777777777777\" data-original-height=\"1920\" data-original-width=\"1080\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/250514-rfk-hearing-vrtc-00-00-20-29-still003.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\">           <\/div>\n<div class=\"image__metadata-container media__metadata-container\">\n<div class=\"image__metadata media__metadata\">\n<div class=\"image__caption attribution\">    <span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\"><\/span>  <\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\">CNN<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"related-content__headline\">        <span class=\"related-content__headline-text\" data-editable=\"content.headline\">Lawmaker asks RFK Jr. if he\u2019d vaccinate his kids<\/span>      <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaoa4fiq00093b6mddu4qt7r@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Kennedy has previously disclosed that his children received the recommended childhood schedule of vaccines when they were younger. As founder of the nonprofit Children\u2019s Health Defense, he has also criticized that schedule and claimed that the side effects of certain vaccines \u2014 including unproven links to autism \u2014 outweigh their benefits.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaoa4fiq000a3b6myw7mmazo@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            The secretary announced in April that health agencies would start a massive research and testing effort to distill the causes of autism, citing \u201cenvironmental toxins\u201d and other exposures.    <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"subheader inline-placeholder subheader-elevate\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/cmaobkw2p00153b6m3rd513qv@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"efforts-to-tackle-racial-disparities\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">        Efforts to tackle racial disparities<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaoa4ajm00033b6mrfzw2v2q@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            In his opening statement at the House subcommittee hearing, Kennedy said that one of the top priorities for the agency\u2019s budget was to \u201celiminate DEI funding and redirect resources toward real poverty reduction.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaobkg6a000t3b6mv01fxlm0@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Democratic Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey pushed him on the topic, highlighting vast racial disparities in maternal mortality in the US and other health issues.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaobkg6b000u3b6m0w7e4a4d@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cFew things enrage me more than the racist attacks I see this administration carrying out by embarking on an ignorant crusade to rid the government of any programs that are working to improve the lives of Black Americans,\u201d Watson Coleman said. \u201cThe administration has moved to ban the words Black, race, bias, minority, oppression, prejudice, discrimination, disparity and racism. Any grant application on federal programs that include these words had them immediately stripped.\u201d    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/related-content\/instances\/cmaobm9p9001c3b6mwtai29sb@published\" data-component-name=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content-elevate related-content--article\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n<header class=\"related-content__title related-content__title-text\" data-editable=\"content.title\">Related article<\/header>\n<section class=\"related-content__body\">\n<div class=\"related-content__image image__related-content\">\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cm8rc2vg9008327qnfb1c9rz4@published\" class=\"image-elevate image__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"GettyImages-2204184566.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--eq-large&quot;: 660}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6665\" data-original-height=\"1333\" data-original-width=\"2000\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/gettyimages-2204184566.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\">           <\/div>\n<div class=\"image__metadata-container media__metadata-container\">\n<div class=\"image__metadata media__metadata\">\n<div class=\"image__caption attribution\">    <span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\">People protesting personnel cuts at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) hold signs outside the organization&#8217;s main headquarters on March 12, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. Some Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) employees have sent a letter to CDC leadership, they argue their dismissals were unfair and violated due process as they face a deadline that could officially end their employment status.<\/span>  <\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\">Elijah Nouvelage\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"related-content__headline\">        <span class=\"related-content__headline-text\" data-editable=\"content.headline\">HHS cuts 10,000 employees in major overhaul of health agencies<\/span>      <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaobkg6b000v3b6m3pqw5al4@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            These actions are an attempt \u201cto legitimize racial discrimination,\u201d she said, and low-income minorities will suffer the consequences most.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaobkg6b000w3b6myf9jtrl8@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cIt should not be controversial to make right a health care system that was not built to help people like me, to take my concerns, my pain, my health very seriously in this country,\u201d Watson Coleman said. \u201cHow exactly will HHS banning the words that we use to describe ourselves make us healthier?\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaobkg6b000x3b6mwlysa5bg@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Kennedy said that President Donald Trump has a vision for a \u201ccolorblind administration,\u201d akin to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.\u2019s ideals.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaobkg6b000y3b6mbh0tp8l4@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cThe commitment is there. We\u2019re just reorganizing,\u201d he said.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaobkg6b000z3b6moomo8bns@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            But he balked when Watson Coleman pressured him for rationale behind eliminating a program to help low-income households with their energy bills to have heat in the winter and stay cool in the summer: the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaobkg6b00103b6m6mw5hi9q@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cMy time has expired,\u201d Kennedy said.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaobkg6b00113b6mnqambqbb@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cWell then, so has your legitimacy,\u201d Watson Coleman said.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaobkg6b00123b6mk740r26b@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Only when prompted to follow up did Kennedy offer a brief explanation, saying that the administration\u2019s broader energy policy aims to bring energy costs down in general.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaobkg6b00133b6mgitjh6wk@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cIf it doesn\u2019t happen, then Congress is welcome \u2013 and they should \u2013 appropriate the money for LIHEAP, and I will spend it,\u201d Kennedy said. \u201dI already allocated $400 million from LIHEAP during the last 100 days, and I will continue to do and get that funding to the people who need it in this country if the fuel costs do not go down.\u201d    <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"subheader inline-placeholder subheader-elevate\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/cmaofym9e002h3b6m92cbn5wp@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"lead-program-cuts\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">        Lead program cuts<\/h2>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaobr64m001s3b6m6u9tboeb@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Kennedy suggested at the Senate hearing that experts in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u2019s lead poisoning prevention program were fired in error during the agency\u2019s sweeping cuts in April.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaofyh9g00213b6mi3s3bktt@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            During questioning by Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, on the impact that the lead program cuts might have on a lead contamination crisis in Milwaukee public schools, Kennedy agreed that childhood lead poisoning is \u201can extremely significant concern.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaofyh9g00223b6mlvhjzp3h@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Baldwin then asked, \u201cDo you intend to eliminate this branch at CDC? Yes or no?\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaofyh9g00233b6mfn2omh2x@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cNo, we do not,\u201d Kennedy said.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaofyh9g00243b6mjecr4d1j@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            It\u2019s the second time Kennedy has suggested that lead experts at the CDC were cut in error. When asked during an appearance in April about cuts to the program, he responded, \u201cThere are some programs that are being cut that are being reinstated. I believe that\u2019s one of them.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaofyh9g00253b6mzdhd0qvf@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            An HHS spokesperson later said that the CDC\u2019s lead program wouldn\u2019t be reinstated but that the work would continue through a different CDC office, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaofyh9g00263b6m2boqykxe@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            However, experts in the CDC\u2019s lead program have not been rehired, according to Dr. Eric Svendsen, who was director of the CDC\u2019s Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, which included the lead poisoning prevention program.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaofyh9g00273b6m1a0e1mj2@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            The entire division and all of its programs were cut during the April 1 layoffs. \u201cWe are all still RIFd,\u201d Svendsen confirmed Wednesday.    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/related-content\/instances\/cmaog14dz002j3b6mw6692oh3@published\" data-component-name=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content-elevate related-content--article\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n<header class=\"related-content__title related-content__title-text\" data-editable=\"content.title\">Related article<\/header>\n<section class=\"related-content__body\">\n<div class=\"related-content__image image__related-content\">\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmag7bfgc000i26qj8mjz3wtj@published\" class=\"image-elevate image__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"AlbanV_20250506_CNN_MKELead_46.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--eq-large&quot;: 660}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\" data-original-height=\"2000\" data-original-width=\"3000\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/albanv-20250506-cnn-mkelead-46.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\">           <\/div>\n<div class=\"image__metadata-container media__metadata-container\">\n<div class=\"image__metadata media__metadata\">\n<div class=\"image__caption attribution\">    <span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\">Chipped paint on a doorway at the Golda Meir School, the school where the first known student to be exposed to a lead hazard was discovered, is seen on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wis.<\/span>  <\/div><figcaption class=\"image__credit\">Vincent Alban for CNN<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"related-content__headline\">        <span class=\"related-content__headline-text\" data-editable=\"content.headline\">In a city burdened by health hazards of lead, they\u2019re trying to repair school buildings and public trust<\/span>      <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaofyh9g00293b6m56gzaj5h@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Kennedy has reinstated some other workers at CDC. In an exchange with Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington earlier Wednesday, Kennedy said that he had reinstated 328 workers with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Morgantown, West Virginia, and another site. Those offices worked on mine safety and on health issues in first responders after the response to the September 11 attacks, he said.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaofyh9g002a3b6m2k3e29f6@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cThe work on mine safety will continue,\u201d Kennedy said. \u201cWe understand it\u2019s critically important function. And I did not want to see it end.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaofyh9g002b3b6msaq3aloz@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Murray said other NIOSH workers, including those at an office in Spokane, Washington, have not been reinstated, however.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaofyh9g002c3b6mstopq9o2@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cI would just say you can\u2019t fire 90% of the people and assume the work gets done,\u201d she said.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaofyh9g002d3b6mv0wokf3h@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Micah Niemeier-Walsh, vice president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 3840, representing NIOSH employees in Cincinnati, said in a statement Wednesday that \u201cSome NIOSH employees have been reinstated, however, many critical functions of NIOSH remain negatively impacted by the Reductions in Force. \u2026 The union is determined to continue to advocate for full reinstatement of all NIOSH employees. All NIOSH programs are important for the health and safety of working peoeple in this country.\u201d    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaofyh9g002e3b6mqityd28z@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Some workers at the US Food and Drug Administration have also had their firings reversed, including staffers handling Freedom of Information Act requests, those who negotiate user fees and some laboratory staff.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaofyh9g002f3b6mwdkpehmy@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Additionally, more than a dozen scientists at the FDA\u2019s Moffett Lab in Illinois focusing on food safety had their RIF notices reversed, according to a person familiar with the situation who declined to be named because they\u2019re not authorized to speak on behalf of the agency.    <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"subheader inline-placeholder subheader-elevate\" data-editable=\"text\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/subheader\/instances\/cmaobll6m00173b6m7puknpp5@published\" data-component-name=\"subheader\" id=\"interrupted-by-protesters\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">        Interrupted by protesters<\/h2>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmaobatmf000b3b6mj05fjdda@published\" class=\"image_large-elevate image_large__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image_large\" data-name=\"2025-05-14T175617Z_992688048_RC2OHEAMQ72D_RTRMADP_3_USA-HEALTH-KENNEDY.JPG\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image_large--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image_large--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image_large--eq-large&quot;: 660}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6556666666666666\" data-original-height=\"1967\" data-original-width=\"3000\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/2025-05-14t175617z-992688048-rc2oheamq72d-rtrmadp-3-usa-health-kennedy.JPG?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image_large__container \" data-image-variation=\"image_large\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image_large--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image_large--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image_large--show-credits&quot;: 525}\">           <\/div>\n<div class=\"image_large__metadata-container media__metadata-container\">\n<div class=\"image_large__metadata media__metadata\">\n<div class=\"image_large__caption attribution\">    <span data-editable=\"metaCaption\" class=\"inline-placeholder\">Protesters interrupted US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.&#8217;s opening statement before the Senate HELP Committee on Wednesday.<\/span>  <\/div><figcaption class=\"image_large__credit\">Leah Millis\/Reuters<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaoak1mb00003b6mnzp73dos@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Minutes into the Senate hearing on Wednesday afternoon, protestors interrupted yelling \u201cRFK kills people with AIDS\u201d and \u201cCongress kills\u201d before security forcefully escorted them from the room. Other attendees sat through the hearing with large stickers on their clothing saying \u201cAnti-vax, Anti-Science, Anti-American\u201d next to an image of Kennedy.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaoam4bz00093b6m4ijliwgr@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            Kennedy resumed his prepared remarks after the protestors exited.    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph-elevate inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmaoam1bt00073b6mdz84843t@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">            \u201cLet me be clear,\u201d he said, \u201cwe intend to make the Trump HHS not just the most effective but also the most compassionate in US history.\u201d    <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div>This post appeared first on cnn.com<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Vaccines Federal agencies Congressional news Pollution See all topics Facebook Tweet Email Link Link Copied!&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3161,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3160","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3160"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3160\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3160"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}