Selena Simmons-Duffin

So what is the rationale for all of these cuts? Well, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who's the Secretary of Health and Human Services, has described the department as a sprawling bureaucracy. He points to the fact that American life expectancy is lower here than it is in other similar wealthy countries, which is true. But then he puts the blame for that on these federal health agencies.

So what is the rationale for all of these cuts? Well, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who's the Secretary of Health and Human Services, has described the department as a sprawling bureaucracy. He points to the fact that American life expectancy is lower here than it is in other similar wealthy countries, which is true. But then he puts the blame for that on these federal health agencies.

So that is the context. Kennedy is coming in here with a lot of distrust of these agencies. He wants to dramatically reshape them. He also has Doge and the Trump administration asking for bold actions to shrink the federal workforce. So overall, this plan that Kennedy outlined in late March and that these RIF notices were executing...

So that is the context. Kennedy is coming in here with a lot of distrust of these agencies. He wants to dramatically reshape them. He also has Doge and the Trump administration asking for bold actions to shrink the federal workforce. So overall, this plan that Kennedy outlined in late March and that these RIF notices were executing...

So that is the context. Kennedy is coming in here with a lot of distrust of these agencies. He wants to dramatically reshape them. He also has Doge and the Trump administration asking for bold actions to shrink the federal workforce. So overall, this plan that Kennedy outlined in late March and that these RIF notices were executing...

takes HHS from an agency of 82,000 employees down to 62,000 employees. That is a 25 percent reduction in the workforce.

takes HHS from an agency of 82,000 employees down to 62,000 employees. That is a 25 percent reduction in the workforce.

takes HHS from an agency of 82,000 employees down to 62,000 employees. That is a 25 percent reduction in the workforce.

I mean, as I said, there's really no master list. So what we have come to understand has, again, been this kind of weird crowdsourcing process. Whole centers at CDC were eliminated. Violence prevention, tobacco smoke, reproductive health, HIV prevention, workplace safety, including services for coal miners who get black lung disease. At FDA, food safety labs were hit.

I mean, as I said, there's really no master list. So what we have come to understand has, again, been this kind of weird crowdsourcing process. Whole centers at CDC were eliminated. Violence prevention, tobacco smoke, reproductive health, HIV prevention, workplace safety, including services for coal miners who get black lung disease. At FDA, food safety labs were hit.

I mean, as I said, there's really no master list. So what we have come to understand has, again, been this kind of weird crowdsourcing process. Whole centers at CDC were eliminated. Violence prevention, tobacco smoke, reproductive health, HIV prevention, workplace safety, including services for coal miners who get black lung disease. At FDA, food safety labs were hit.

The agency warned that it had to stop doing some routine quality control tests. The travel teams that send inspectors around the world were cut, throttling international inspections. So we here in America import a lot of food and medications, things that we consume. They're made in countries that are not always doing their own inspections.

The agency warned that it had to stop doing some routine quality control tests. The travel teams that send inspectors around the world were cut, throttling international inspections. So we here in America import a lot of food and medications, things that we consume. They're made in countries that are not always doing their own inspections.

The agency warned that it had to stop doing some routine quality control tests. The travel teams that send inspectors around the world were cut, throttling international inspections. So we here in America import a lot of food and medications, things that we consume. They're made in countries that are not always doing their own inspections.

So sometimes American regulators are the only people doing these inspections. And a lot of that has slowed down. What about other parts of HHS? Well, there's also the human services part. So there were cuts to the agency that helps elderly and disabled people live at home, supports for programs like Meals on Wheels and LIHEAP, which helps low income people pay their heating bills.

So sometimes American regulators are the only people doing these inspections. And a lot of that has slowed down. What about other parts of HHS? Well, there's also the human services part. So there were cuts to the agency that helps elderly and disabled people live at home, supports for programs like Meals on Wheels and LIHEAP, which helps low income people pay their heating bills.

So sometimes American regulators are the only people doing these inspections. And a lot of that has slowed down. What about other parts of HHS? Well, there's also the human services part. So there were cuts to the agency that helps elderly and disabled people live at home, supports for programs like Meals on Wheels and LIHEAP, which helps low income people pay their heating bills.

I should also point out that Billions of dollars have been cut in grants to state and local health departments. So the federal government's being sued over that.

I should also point out that Billions of dollars have been cut in grants to state and local health departments. So the federal government's being sued over that.

I should also point out that Billions of dollars have been cut in grants to state and local health departments. So the federal government's being sued over that.