‘That would have a devastating impact on research into lifesaving cures’: Democrats grill RFK Jr. over $18 billion NIH slash

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced intense questioning from Democratic lawmakers during a contentious Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Tuesday. The hearing focused on the Trump administration’s proposed budget for the Department of Health and Human Services for fiscal year 2026, which includes significant funding reductions across multiple programs. Kennedy, who serves as the health and human services secretary, defended the administration’s plans to cut the agency’s discretionary funding by 26 percent.

Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, the leading Democrat on the subcommittee, expressed serious concerns about the budget proposal’s impact on scientific research. According to MSCBC, she specifically highlighted that National Institutes of Health funds would be reduced by nearly $18 billion compared to the previous fiscal year, stating, “That would have a devastating impact on research into lifesaving cures and treatments.”

Baldwin warned that such cuts would set back medical innovations by decades and questioned whether these reductions would slow the development of treatments and cures. In response to criticism about the cuts, Kennedy defended the administration’s approach, claiming, “We’re not abandoning any lifesaving research. We’ve cut administrators, we’re cutting waste, we’re cutting duplicative programs.”

Kennedy’s tense exchanges with democratic senators over child care funding and agency cuts

When pressed about the potential impact on medical research, Kennedy countered, “We are the sickest country in the world, so that money has not been well-spent.” The exchange highlighted the fundamental disagreement between Kennedy and Democratic lawmakers about the value and effectiveness of current health research funding.

The hearing became increasingly heated when Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington confronted Kennedy about billions in funding cuts for child care programs. After Murray asked who made the decision to withhold these funds, Kennedy launched a personal attack, claiming the senator had “presided over the destruction of the health of the American people” during her 32 years in office. This prompted Murray to respond, “You came here to argue with me. I came here to ask you questions about your budget request.” The exchange grew so contentious that Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, who chairs the subcommittee, had to intervene.

Since the Trump administration returned to power, HHS has eliminated more than 20,000 jobs and reduced billions of dollars for scientific research as part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s efforts to decrease federal spending. Baldwin questioned Kennedy about the department’s decision to withhold funds already appropriated by Congress, including thousands of dollars in grants for research on rare diseases, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.

This hearing marked Kennedy’s third appearance before Congress in recent days. In previous sessions last week, he faced similar scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers, particularly regarding his past statements about vaccines. When asked whether he would vaccinate his own child for measles, Kennedy responded “probably” before adding, “I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me.” The proposed budget cuts and Kennedy’s controversial statements have reinforced the partisan divide over the administration’s approach to public health and scientific research funding.