Selena Simmons-Duffin

anti-trans and anti-queer policies made a lot of people, especially those in foreign countries, feel like they weren't welcome here.

anti-trans and anti-queer policies made a lot of people, especially those in foreign countries, feel like they weren't welcome here.

anti-trans and anti-queer policies made a lot of people, especially those in foreign countries, feel like they weren't welcome here.

Ten thousand staffers at HHS have been fired since Secretary Kennedy began leading the agency, with thousands more taking buyouts or early retirement. Here's Kennedy responding to a question about who decided which staff to cut.

Ten thousand staffers at HHS have been fired since Secretary Kennedy began leading the agency, with thousands more taking buyouts or early retirement. Here's Kennedy responding to a question about who decided which staff to cut.

Lawmakers of both parties questioned the wisdom of shrinking the size of the National Institutes of Health, which Kennedy described as being corrupt and in need of a new direction. Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR News, Washington.

Lawmakers of both parties questioned the wisdom of shrinking the size of the National Institutes of Health, which Kennedy described as being corrupt and in need of a new direction. Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR News, Washington.

Yeah. So in the morning, he's testifying in the House before the Appropriations Committee. And in the afternoon, he heads to the Senate. There, he'll testify before the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. And the topic for both hearings is the president's budget proposal for HHS. Kennedy will explain why he wants less money for his department in the coming year.

Yeah. So in the morning, he's testifying in the House before the Appropriations Committee. And in the afternoon, he heads to the Senate. There, he'll testify before the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. And the topic for both hearings is the president's budget proposal for HHS. Kennedy will explain why he wants less money for his department in the coming year.

Yeah. So in the morning, he's testifying in the House before the Appropriations Committee. And in the afternoon, he heads to the Senate. There, he'll testify before the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. And the topic for both hearings is the president's budget proposal for HHS. Kennedy will explain why he wants less money for his department in the coming year.

And that's certainly connected to the Doge effort to shrink government. But Kennedy is also trying to fundamentally reshape the mission of HHS and reorient it to his priorities.

And that's certainly connected to the Doge effort to shrink government. But Kennedy is also trying to fundamentally reshape the mission of HHS and reorient it to his priorities.

And that's certainly connected to the Doge effort to shrink government. But Kennedy is also trying to fundamentally reshape the mission of HHS and reorient it to his priorities.

Yeah, he calls it a chronic disease epidemic. He even ties the size of HHS in terms of staff and budget with what he describes as the worsening health of the American population. As a reminder, HHS is the health umbrella agency, so it oversees CDC, the FDA, Medicaid and Medicare, the NIH. In April, Kennedy fired 10,000 staff members, eliminating whole centers and divisions across the department.

Yeah, he calls it a chronic disease epidemic. He even ties the size of HHS in terms of staff and budget with what he describes as the worsening health of the American population. As a reminder, HHS is the health umbrella agency, so it oversees CDC, the FDA, Medicaid and Medicare, the NIH. In April, Kennedy fired 10,000 staff members, eliminating whole centers and divisions across the department.

Yeah, he calls it a chronic disease epidemic. He even ties the size of HHS in terms of staff and budget with what he describes as the worsening health of the American population. As a reminder, HHS is the health umbrella agency, so it oversees CDC, the FDA, Medicaid and Medicare, the NIH. In April, Kennedy fired 10,000 staff members, eliminating whole centers and divisions across the department.

Here he is on NewsNation earlier this month defending those moves.

Here he is on NewsNation earlier this month defending those moves.

Here he is on NewsNation earlier this month defending those moves.

I should say the rollout of these firings has been chaotic and Kennedy has not seemed to be terribly familiar with what and who have been cut and what remains. He said the speed of the firings was necessary to not lose, quote, political momentum.