On May 14, 2025, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before two congressional committees. I watched both meetings in full, approximately 5 hours of interrogation.

The first meeting, beginning at 9:30aEST, was with the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, a committee composed of members from the House of Representatives. In this session, Sec. Kennedy was questioned, often in a scolding and disrespectful tone, about the impact of cuts on programs for low-income assistance and the consolidation of various health offices. Lawmakers lashed out over the potential negative effects on vulnerable populations and public health infrastructure.

The Secretary strongly defended the substantial budget cuts. As he attempted to explain that departmental restructuring was necessary to eliminate redundancy by combining similar departments and reevaluating programs for effectiveness and ROI, he was frequently interrupted, especially by the hostile Democratic members of the committee, who were obviously using this platform for their message rather than for sincere inquiry.

As a result, the Secretary was barely able to present a few facts to support the rationale behind these cuts and how they would streamline the Agency and benefit the American people in the long run.

And then, starting at 1:30p EST, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) was convened. The HELP Committee oversees a broad range of federal programs and legislation that significantly impact American life. Its jurisdiction includes:

Health care and public health, with oversight of HHS and its subagencies, including the CDC, FDA, NIH, and HRSA.

Education policy, from early childhood through higher education, including supervision of the Department of Education.

Department of Labor issues such as wages, workplace safety, and union rights.

Retirement and pension policies and protection laws.

The HELP Committee's focus was more strategic and ideological, examining the budget numbers in a broader context of the effects of the planned HHS restructuring. Senators questioned the plans to eliminate or downgrade offices that focus on minority health, LGBTQ+ health, women's health, and environmental health. The hearing also touched on Kennedy's controversial positions on vaccines and medical freedom.