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“The President’s 2026 Health Care Agenda”

Senate Finance Committee

September 4th, 2025 (recording linked here)

WITNESS & TESTIMONY

• The Honorable Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.: Secretary, United States Department of Health and Human Services

HEARING HIGHLIGHTS

MEMBER OPENING STATEMENTS

• Chair Crapo (R-ID) highlighted fraud and error-reduction efforts—including eligibility verification and action on 2.8 million duplicate Medicaid/ACA enrollments that CMS said could save $14B annually—and noted added immigration data sharing for eligibility checks. He praised Congress’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill” for tightening Medicaid integrity and creating the Rural Health Transformation Program, and said he sought bipartisan work on PBM reforms, telehealth access, and stabilizing physician payment.

• Ranking Member Wyden (D-OR) responded that the country faced “the largest health-care cuts in U.S. history,” accused the administration of sowing mistrust and chaos at health agencies, and released a staff report cataloging actions he said endangered families. He alleged conflicts and anti-vaccine bias in CDC advisory changes, warned of premium spikes if ACA tax credits lapse, and cited service cuts at hospitals. He further alleged illegal treatment of unaccompanied minors and urged that the secretary be sworn in; when the chair declined, he objected that the committee was tolerating falsehoods.

WITNESS OPENING STATEMENTS

• Secretary Kennedy offered condolences for a fallen officer and said HHS was shifting from “sick care” to prevention, citing the MaHA assessment on drivers of childhood chronic disease (ultra-processed foods, chemical exposure, inactivity, and over-medicalization) with a follow-on strategy forthcoming. He said HHS had moved quickly on issues ranging from food dyes and baby-formula contamination to drug prices, prior authorization, interoperability, e-cigarettes, and animal-testing reduction, and noted FDA was on pace for a record year of drug approvals. He touted $14B in annual savings from eliminating duplicate CMS enrollments, said the department was redirecting aid toward low-income families, investing $1B in Head Start, and pursuing anti-trafficking efforts while claiming progress locating missing unaccompanied children. He highlighted the Rural Health Transformation Fund and defended CDC leadership changes as necessary to restore science-driven public health after what he called failed COVID-19 policies.

QUESTION AND ANSWER SUMMARY

• Chair Crapo (R-ID) asked for clarification on the One Big Beautiful Bill’s Rural Health Transformation Program and rebut claims the bill caused current hospital distress. Secretary Kennedy said 120 rural hospitals had closed in the last decade and only ~6% of Medicaid spending reached rural hospitals; the bill adds $50B ($10B/year for five years)—roughly a 50% boost—to stabilize rural facilities.

  Chair Crapo then asked about “Make America Healthy Again.” Secretary Kennedy said CDC data showed 76.4% of Americans now had a chronic disease (far higher than past decades) and argued the system must pivot from reactive care to prevention, adding that CDC leadership changes were aimed at that shift.

• Ranking Member Wyden (D-OR) pressed on vaccines, citing a Wall Street Journal op-ed by former CDC Director Susan Monarez claiming she was told to pre-approve recommendations from a newly reconstituted advisory panel stocked with vaccine skeptics. Secretary Kennedy denied the account and said other meeting witnesses would back him. When asked directly, he said she was lying.

  Ranking Member Wyden said firing all 17 ACIP members politicized vaccines and raised RSV risks for infants. Secretary Kennedy replied that he “de-politicized” ACIP by removing conflicts of interest and seating “great scientists,” and said he was “very pro-vaccine.”

• Sen. Grassley (R-IA) asked whether HHS would leave farm regulation to USDA/EPA as promised at confirmation. Secretary Kennedy said HHS was coordinating with farm groups to align MaHA with agricultural priorities and protect soils while supporting diverse farmers.

  Sen. Grassley urged drug-price disclosures in TV ads.

  On organ procurement abuses, Sen. Grassley referenced cases in MS and KY. Secretary Kennedy said HHS had launched a broad investigation, terminated an incumbent contractor, and was reorganizing the sector to stop line-skipping and attempts to recover organs from living patients.

• Sen. Cornyn (R-TX) asked how HHS would improve outcomes rather than “throw more money” at care. Secretary Kennedy said HHS was reorganizing CDC/NIH/FDA/CMS and moving immediately on food additives, GRAS loopholes, and dietary guidance to tackle chronic-disease drivers.

  Sen. Cornyn asked if COVID was politicized. Secretary Kennedy answered yes and alleged misinformation on natural immunity, transmission, masks, and school closures, then pledged to “eliminate politics from science.”

• Sen. Bennet (D-CO) focused on vaccine governance. He noted how the entire ACIP was fired and how new member Robert Malone had claimed mRNA vaccines “cause a form of AIDS” and harm children. Secretary Kennedy deflected to Malone’s credentials.

  Sen. Bennet then said another appointee claimed mRNA vaccines cause “serious harm, including death.” Secretary Kennedy replied he hadn’t seen the quote but agreed with it.

  Sen. Bennet warned schedule changes for Hep B, MMR, varicella, and RSV could reduce childhood vaccination and asked if access would remain unchanged. Secretary Kennedy said he did not anticipate changing MMR, described ACIP as independent, and said parents should be free to choose.

  When Sen. Bennet pressed for advance transparency of the evidence base, Secretary Kennedy said the evidence was public and accused prior panels of pharma influence.

• Sen. Cassidy (R-LA) praised Operation Warp Speed and asked why HHS canceled ~$500M in mRNA platform contracts and why plaintiffs’ expert witnesses were appointed to ACIP after claims of conflict were overstated. Secretary Kennedy said Warp Speed was “genius” and stressed he litigated Biden-era mandates—not vaccines—and argued disclosed plaintiff-side work is a permissible bias, not a disqualifying conflict.

  Sen. Cassidy read accounts of patients and clinicians unable to access COVID shots under new guidance and said HHS was effectively denying vaccines. Secretary Kennedy disputed that characterization.

• Sen. Cantwell (D-WA) pressed that “following science” means sustaining mRNA R&D and asked whether he supports ACA premium tax credits. Secretary Kennedy affirmed Warp Speed deserved credit but defended canceling certain URIs-only mRNA projects and said he wants to “fix the system” rather than extend temporary credits. He criticized Democrats for not making them permanent previously.

• Sen. Warner (D-VA) asked if ~1 million Americans died from COVID and if vaccines reduced deaths. Secretary Kennedy said CDC data were too chaotic to know and cited politicization.

  Sen. Warner proposed lifting the rural hospital area-wage index to 80%. Secretary Kennedy said President Trump supports it and agreed to work together.

• Sen. Lankford (R-OK) welcomed the $50B rural program and NIH grant releases, then flagged Medicare Advantage payment delays and PBM practices. Secretary Kennedy said PBM reform is a presidential priority, with talks aiming at transparency commitments and MFN negotiations (including potential direct-to-consumer channels) to reduce middlemen.

  On mifepristone, Secretary Kennedy said FDA’s safety review is underway and would avoid the prior administration’s alleged suppression of an 11% safety signal.

  On Title X separation rules, Secretary Kennedy said a review is in progress and NGOs not separating operations/streams are not funded.

• Sen. Hassan (D-NH) said HHS was overruling scientists and limiting parental access by altering pediatric COVID-vaccine parameters without transparent evidence. Secretary Kennedy said industry hadn’t provided efficacy data for healthy children, denied acting “behind closed doors,” and questioned modeling-based lives-saved estimates.

• Sen. Barrasso (R-WY) emphasized vaccines’ historic benefits and public trust concerns. He asked how HHS will ensure clear, evidence-based guidance, Secretary Kennedy said new vaccines would need inert-placebo safety trials prior to licensure and that HHS would run observational studies on existing vaccines to clarify risk profiles and inform patient/parent decisions.

• Sen. Daines (R-MT) pressed FDA’s review of new mifepristone safety data (citing ~11% serious adverse events in claims analyses) and asked about ending COVID-era telemedicine allowances and restoring in-person visits. Secretary Kennedy said FDA studies are progressing and committed CMS to move quickly on Montana’s Medicaid waiver seeking community-engagement requirements.

• Sen. Johnson (R-WI) alleged CDC hid myocarditis safety signals and cited VAERS death reports, broader “capture” of health agencies, and an upcoming hearing on vaccinated vs. unvaccinated outcomes. Secretary Kennedy pointed to a past CDC analysis he says showed higher autism risk in certain subgroups and claimed senior officials ordered data destroyed, vowing to change that.

• Sen. Whitehouse (D-RI) said CMS underpays RI vs. MA/CT, imperiling the state’s system; he urged using the AHEAD model to fix the gap and sought CMMI waivers to improve end-of-life care (e.g., hospice/hospital rules, concurrent palliative/curative care). Secretary Kennedy invited a meeting with CMS leadership, said similar concerns exist in VT, and expressed willingness to work on RI’s payment and end-of-life proposals.

• Sen. Cortez Masto (D-NV) argued the “One Big Beautiful Bill” shields blockbuster cancer drugs (e.g., Keytruda) from Medicare negotiation, raising costs while premiums climb. Secretary Kennedy said IRA negotiations were “poorly structured” and have increased Medicare costs, pointed to MFN talks, and defended program-integrity actions he says lower premiums—while acknowledging he didn’t have specific Part B/D figures at hand.

• Sen. Blackburn (R-TN) sought support to finish PBM reform and protect rural pharmacies, align HHS’s new interoperability framework with existing federal policy, and address pediatric stimulant over-prescribing. Secretary Kennedy backed PBM legislation, said 60 major tech firms have committed to data sharing and patient access (he’ll provide a written roadmap), and said HHS is launching long-term studies and labeling actions to better inform parents on risks.

• Sen. Warren (D-MA) said she was promised no vaccines would be taken away, but the COVID-vaccine recommendations were changed for healthy under-65s, effectively limiting pharmacy access and coverage. Secretary Kennedy replied anyone can still get the vaccine, but HHS won’t recommend indications lacking clinical data.

  Pressed on upcoming ACIP items (e.g., Hep B), Secretary Kennedy repeated he’s not “taking vaccines away.” He also said the former CDC director was asked to resign over trust concerns, disputing her public account.

• Sen. Sanders (I-VT) said the “One Big Beautiful Bill” cuts coverage and raises premiums. He invoked Trump’s praise of COVID vaccines and mainstream groups (AMA, AAP) backing vaccination. Secretary Kennedy said Warp Speed merited a Nobel, wouldn’t quantify lives saved, and named McCary, Bhattacharya, and Dr. Oz as advisors while arguing the “scientific establishment” is co-opted.

• Sen. Tillis (R-NC) requested a definitive written position on Warp Speed and documentation reconciling statements about empowering scientists with firing the CDC director, canceling mRNA contracts, and NIH funding delays. He asked HHS to analyze OBBB’s state-level impacts (citing a $25B/10-yr NC estimate).

• Sen. Smith (D-MN) said the given testimony contradicts prior statements and mainstream science, citing a podcast line that “no vaccine is safe and effective” and alleging baseless links between antidepressants and shootings. Secretary Kennedy denied making that link.

  Sen. Smith argued HHS actions are undermining mental-health access and environmental/drug-pricing safeguards.

• Sen. Marshall (R-KS) backed “transparency and choice,” contrasting one-size-fits-all mandates with individualized risk, and questioned the universal Hep B birth dose. Secretary Kennedy said he’s “pro-medicine,” risk-benefit varies by population, and current policy must reflect changed COVID risk. He noted high VAERS reporting for COVID vaccines but said data chaos prevents precise quantification of benefits or harms.

• Sen. Luján (D-NM) pressrf on contractor David Geier’s role and credentials. Secretary Kennedy said Geier is a contractor (not SGEs staff), denied he’s running the autism study, and said protocols are public with funded studies.

  Sen. Luján asked the committee to obtain those protocols.

• Sen. Warnock (D-GA) focused on the CDC shooting in Atlanta and follow-up management. He asked whether the CDC director was pressured to pre-accept ACIP recommendations. Secretary Kennedy said no but sought clarity on her stance, and he labeled CDC “the most corrupt agency in HHS” while denying calling staff “horrible people.”

  Senator Warnock cited rising measles deaths and urged Kennedy to resign.

• Sen. Welch (D-VT) argued the OBBB worsens affordability, projecting large premium hikes and coverage losses in VT and nationwide. He plans to move legislation to reverse what they call a Big Pharma giveaway and urged the restoration of Medicare’s negotiation power.

• Sen. Young (R-IN) asked about long-COVID therapeutics and trial acceleration. Secretary Kennedy said NIH’s prior effort “yielded nothing,” and HHS will launch a clinician-led consortium, prioritize repurposed drugs, push back on pharma barriers to trials, explore international partnerships, and leverage ARPA-H.