RFK Jr. to testify on "policies and priorities" of HHS during House hearing

[0:00] It's come to order. A quorum is present. The committee meets today in pursuant to notice [17:10] and without objection, the chair may recess the committee at any point. [17:17] At a time when Americans are facing rising health care costs, declining public trusts, [17:23] and worsening rates of chronic disease, strong leadership at HHS is more important than ever. [17:31] Under Secretary Kennedy, HHS is taking bold and decisive action to make America healthy again. [17:40] Health care is a critical part of the equation. Yet for too many families, the cost of care [17:46] continues to rise while transparency remains out of reach. Patients and employers are too often left [17:54] in the dark, unable to make informed choices about price and quality. That's unacceptable. [18:01] Americans deserve clear and upfront pricing that will help drive competition and lower costs. [18:11] This committee remains focused on strengthening transparency and ensuring the system works for [18:17] patients, not against them. And we're glad to have the partnership of this HHS to help accomplish those [18:28] goals. But access to health care is only one piece of the puzzle. Health begins long before a patient [18:35] enters a doctor's office. It starts with nutrition, prevention, and daily choices. Under Secretary [18:42] Kennedy's leadership, HHS has righted the food pyramid and delivered scientifically sound dietary [18:50] guidelines for Americans. These are critical steps toward building a stronger foundation for public [18:58] health, particularly for children. This is also an era where the committee has led. We restored access to [19:05] healthy, full-fat dairy in federal child nutrition programs, ensuring children receive the minimum they need to grow and thrive. [19:14] Health is also shaped by environments in which we live. Strengthening high-quality early childhood education [19:23] and care programs that working parents rely on and protecting them from waste, fraud, and abuse helps create a culture of learning and care where our children can thrive. At the same time, restoring focus and [19:38] accountability in these programs and accountability in these programs is critical to earning the public's trust. Taxpayer dollars should support children and families, not advance ideological initiatives. [19:50] This is particularly true of DEI-driven mandates and gender ideology that have saturated our society. Policies that promote or [20:01] subsidized irreversible medical interventions on minors raise serious concerns, both medically and ethically. Sex-rejecting procedures and mutilating chemical treatments are an abominable use of federal taxpayer [20:18] dollars and tear at the very fabric of American society. I'm very glad to see HHS taking [20:26] steps to combat this and ensure that the well-being of children, not politics, remains the focus. Finally, [20:34] I want to commend the Department for also making America fiscally healthy again. The Department's budget [20:41] proposal reigns in a bloated, unaccountable bureaucracy by restructuring HHS to refocus on core principles, [20:49] all while saving taxpayers $1.8 billion every year. In other words, HHS is doing more with less. That's exactly [21:00] the kind of governance the American people expect and deserve. At the end of the day, this is about people. [21:10] Families trying to afford care, parents trying to raise healthy children, and communities striving for a [21:16] better future. The policies we shape here have real consequences in each of their lives. We have a [21:26] responsibility to get this right, and I certainly appreciate Secretary Kennedy's willingness to take [21:31] on these challenges, and I look forward to working together to build a healthier, stronger future for [21:38] every American. With that said, I yield to the ranking member, the gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Scott, for his [21:45] opening statement. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Secretary Kennedy, for your testimony this [21:51] morning. Your appearance before the committee today, as they say, has been a long time coming. [21:59] Mr. Secretary, you lead an agency that has immense responsibility to both enhance and protect America's [22:06] well-being. The mission of the Department of Health and Human Services is to embrace the health and [22:13] well-being of all Americans by providing for effective health and human services, and by fostering [22:19] sound, sustained advances in the sciences underlying medicine, public health, and social services. This mission [22:27] is why many get involved in public service in the first place. This is, in part, why the President's words [22:34] the other day were so shocking. As President Trump said, and you can see over my shoulder, we're fighting wars. [22:44] It's not possible for us to take care of daycare, Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things. [22:53] They can do it on a state basis. You can't do it on a federal level. You have to take care of one thing, [23:00] military protection. And regrettably, the proposed budget that you're here to defend [23:06] today reflects that sentiment. Overall, the White House's proposed budget reduces HHS discretionary [23:15] budget authority by about $15.8 billion or 12.5 percent. If these proposed cuts are enacted, [23:25] they will have devastating consequences for Americans' health and well-being and will raise [23:30] costs for America's families. Take Americans' health care, for example. The proposed budget cuts [23:37] excuse me, target public health agencies, such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention [23:43] and the National Institutes for Health, weakening the systems that communities will allow on to prevent [23:48] disease and respond to crisis. Additionally, thanks to the cuts from H.R.1, or what we refer to as the [23:57] big, ugly bill. Policies of this administration, and policies of this administration, Americans are [24:04] now paying more to see a doctor and to fill prescriptions. Americans should not have to go [24:09] into debt just in order to stay healthy. The Department should be focusing on ensuring affordable, [24:16] accessible health coverage for as many people as possible. Regrettably, when fully implemented, [24:21] the actions taken by this Congress and the Administration will reduce the number of people insured [24:27] by about $15 million. As a direct result of this Administration's policies and priorities, [24:33] the cost of living has become increasingly unaffordable. Moreover, the President has recklessly [24:40] gotten us into another war in the Middle East, causing energy prices to skyrocket. As those energy [24:47] prices skyrocket, your budget would eliminate the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, LIHEAP, [24:53] which helps millions of families stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer, reducing the risk of [25:00] health and safety problems arising from unsafe heating and cooling situations. Similarly, American [25:07] families are struggling to find safe, affordable child care. Intruders word that it is not possible [25:14] for us to take care of day care. The President's budget proposes flat funding, both Head Start and the [25:20] Child Care Development Block Grant, even though current funding levels serve only a small fraction of [25:26] eligible children. And when adjusted for inflation, flat funding would likely result in fewer children [25:33] actually served. In addition, the President's budget would completely eliminate the Preschool [25:38] Development Grant, which helps states improve the quality and safety of child care programs and [25:43] ensures all children can arrive at kindergarten ready to succeed. Last year, HHS illegally withheld [25:51] funds from Head Start facilities nationwide, pushing many Head Start programs to the brink. [25:57] And earlier this year, HHS froze over $10 billion in congressionally appropriated funds for five [26:04] Democratic-led states, which also impacted child care development funds and the Temporary Assistance for [26:10] Needy Families . These actions were not without victims. Many child care providers and grantees are [26:17] already operating on shoestring budgets. And without federal support, child care centers may have to [26:23] close. And when they do, the parents are left in the lurch without access to child care. In times like [26:30] these, the Social Safety Net programs provide struggling families a lifeline. However, these programs have [26:37] either been taken away or scaled back under your leadership. Cutting these programs doesn't make the cost of [26:43] child care, food, or health go away. It only shifts the burden onto the households that can least afford [26:50] them. Lastly, I want to address the growing concerns of Americans with disabilities who have been [26:57] acutely impacted by your department's policies and priorities. Last year, you targeted the Administration [27:03] for Community Living, an office that houses several key programs for people with disabilities as well as [27:09] seniors. The loss of ACL would not merely be a bureaucratic shift. Its proposed elimination sent a clear [27:17] message that the rights and safety of people with disabilities and older adults were no longer a [27:23] priority for HHS. After more than 50 years of bipartisan progress towards independent living and equal [27:30] opportunity, the proposed dismantle of ACL takes this country backwards. Last August, I released a report [27:38] detailing how the Administration has undermined programs such as Centers for Independent Living and [27:43] Assisted Technology. Moreover, the Big Ugly Bill's Deep Cuts to Medicaid will inevitably reduce home and [27:50] community-based services of various support that allows people with disabilities to live independently. [27:57] I'd like to ask unanimous consent to enter that report into the record. Without objection? [28:04] Objection and hearing none, it will be entered. Thank you. Additionally, [28:07] your proposed budget eliminated the chronic disease self-management education and fall prevention [28:13] programs, effective programs that seniors across the country have come to rely on. When services are [28:19] cut, families face impossible choices, people risk losing their independence, and so I ask you to [28:26] reconsider your position and recommit to fully supporting people with disabilities and older Americans. [28:32] So, Mr. Secretary, I want today's discussion to focus on how we can actually fulfill HHS's [28:39] mission and our commitment as citizens to care for one another. Regrettably, I fear that this budget [28:47] proposal will not serve that goal. Thank you, and I yield back. I thank the gentlemen. Pursuant to Committee [28:55] Rule 8C, all members who wish to insert written statements into the record may do so by submitting them to the [29:02] committee clerk electronically in Microsoft Word format by 5pm, 14 days after this hearing. And without [29:11] objection, the hearing record will remain open for 14 days to allow such statements and other extraneous [29:17] material noted during the hearing to be submitted for the official hearing record. I'll now turn to the [29:24] introduction of today's witness, the Honorable Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the U.S. Department of [29:31] Health and Human Services. Mr. Secretary, we are grateful to have you here today. Thank you so much. [29:38] As you're aware, it's your responsibility to provide accurate information to the committee, [29:42] pursuant to committee rules. I would ask that you limit your oral presentation to a five-minute summary [29:49] of your written statement. And with that, Mr. Secretary, you're recognized for your testimony. [29:55] Thank you for that, Chairman Wahlberg and Ranking Member Scott. Members of the committee, I [30:07] appreciate you all coming. I know a lot of you had a late night. And Ranking Member Scott, [30:13] thank you for taking time to talk to me here earlier this week. And thank you for the opportunity to be [30:19] here to discuss the President's fiscal year 2027 budget request. We stand at a generational turning [30:27] point. Our children are the sickest generation in modern history. And decades of failed policy, [30:33] captured agencies, and profit-driven systems caused it. Parents across the country demanded change, [30:40] and we are delivering it. We are ending the era of federal policies that fueled the chronic disease [30:46] epidemic and replacing them with policies that put the health of Americans first. President Trump and I [30:53] are challenging the status quo and the institutions that defend it as we work to make America healthy [30:59] again. In just 15 months, HHS has delivered historic wins. We negotiated the most favored nation drug [31:08] prices with 16 of the largest pharmaceutical companies. So Americans no longer pay more than other [31:15] people in wealthy countries for the exact same medications. We are bringing real transparency to [31:21] health care pricing so patients know the cost of care before they receive it. I use the full convening [31:29] power of the federal government to bring health insurance CEOs to the table and reform prior authorization. [31:35] We are cutting red tape, speeding decisions, and demanding transparency. We're also cracking down on [31:43] waste, fraud, and abuse. This year, HHS and USDA issued the new dietary guidelines that put real food, [31:50] whole food, at the center of the American plate. We flipped the food pyramid upside down and sent a clear [31:56] message to the American people, eat real food. HHS has also opened the door to partnerships with industry, [32:04] trade associations, non-profit, and advocacy organizations. More than 50 medical schools have [32:11] committed to expand nutrition education from an average of just two hours to 40 hours. Food manufacturers [32:19] are stepping up too. More than 40 percent of the food industry is committed to phase out petroleum-based [32:24] dyes by year-end. Many have already eliminated them. We're also working with the 400 top tech companies to [32:34] end information blocking and they've all pledged to do so and Americans are already seeing the benefits. [32:40] In conjunction with these efforts, FDA approved six natural food colorings derived from fruits and [32:47] vegetables. Through President Trump's Great American Recovery Initiative, HHS is matching compassion with [32:54] action to help Americans break the cycle of addiction. At HHS, we are prioritizing patients with ultra-rare [33:02] diseases and their families and driving faster access to life-saving treatments. We're restoring gold [33:09] standard science and integrity across the agency. We're protecting children from sex-rejecting [33:14] procedures that expose them to irreversible harm. We're eliminating outdated and misleading warning [33:21] labels on hormone therapies used to treat women during menopause. We're strengthening oversight of organ [33:28] procurement. We're implementing Operation Stork Speed to ensure the safety and quality of infant formula. [33:35] We're applying that same focus and urgency to rural America. The Rural Health Transformation Fund [33:42] delivers the largest investment in rural health in our nation's history, $50 billion over five years [33:49] to strengthen rural hospitals and ensure that Americans can access the care they need no matter where they [33:54] live. Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have made rural health a clear priority in their [34:01] conversations with me because every state is feeling the strain of hospital closures, workforce shortages, [34:08] and gaps in access. HHS announced more than $135 million investments this month alone to expand rural [34:16] residency programs from a completely different program and nutrition services. The data is clear when [34:23] physicians train in rural communities they're far more likely to stay and serve there. The President's budget [34:30] also puts these priorities into action. It invests in prevention because preventing disease causes less [34:38] and delivers better outcomes than treating it. As my uncle, President John F. Kennedy said, [34:44] progress is a nice word but change is its motivator and change has its enemies. We see those forces [34:52] clearly, entrenched interests, defenders of failing status quo, and institutions that put profit ahead of the [35:00] American people. The resistance underscores the urgency of this moment. We can reverse chronic disease, [35:07] improve public health, and lower costs. I stand ready to work with this committee in Congress to seize this [35:13] opportunity to implement and codify lasting generational reform in American health care for our country, [35:21] for our children, and for the health of the American people. Together we can make America healthy again. [35:27] Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Under Committee Rule 9, we will now question Secretary Kennedy [35:36] under the five-minute rule and I might make mention, Mr. Secretary, that this committee, while it's known for [35:42] being passionate in its questioning and its debate, it's still so far this term has followed the example [35:51] that we could have a second grade class turn in and watch our meetings and our hearings and our questionings [35:57] and the teacher wouldn't have to turn it off. And I think that will be the case today. But it will be [36:02] refreshing, Chairman. It will be firm and it will be strong. I trust it will continue to be respectful. [36:09] I'll now recognize myself for five minutes of questioning. There is a burning question in [36:17] inquiring minds, as I understand it, to hear you answer the question as to whether you're responsible for [36:25] the measles outbreak. So let me ask that question. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I've been accused of [36:31] that. The accusation is not science-based. The measles outbreak began in January 2025 before I took [36:41] office. Now almost 90 percent of the people affected are over five years old, so they made the decision not [36:47] to vacc-, their decision to not vaccinate predated my, my, my occupation of this seat. We've done better. [36:58] The measles outbreak is not an American phenomenon. It is global. It's happening all over the world. [37:05] And we've done better under my leadership than any country in the world in limiting it. Last year, [37:11] we had 2200, approximately 2200 cases. Mexico had almost three, more than three times that number, [37:20] and they have one-third of our population. Canada had double that number, and they have one-eighth of [37:27] our population. Europe had almost 10 times that number, and they only have double of our population. [37:34] Many other countries have lost their, uh, elimination status. Canada lost it. Britain lost it. These are [37:41] countries I haven't visited in years. Many European countries have lost it. Austria and others. [37:48] I want to say something because two little girls died tragically in the Mennonite community in Texas. [37:55] Mennonites have not vaccinated since 1796. Oh, this has nothing to do with me. I went to the funeral of [38:04] one of those little girls, and I spent a day with the family of the other, and both of them told me that [38:10] when they took their children to the hospital, they were treated as pariahs. They were shamed. [38:18] They were not given proper treatments. Both families believe their daughters and their own doctors [38:24] believe their daughters could have been saved if the hospital gave them proper treatment. The fact [38:30] that they did not have a proper treatment to give them is regulatory practice by this agency. This agency [38:37] has been so focused on a single intervention that it does not advise doctors about how to treat people [38:44] who are actually sick. There's a lot of people in this country who, for religious reasons or other [38:50] reasons, are not going to vaccinate. And I believe that we need to treat them with compassion and [38:56] understanding and empathy and get them the treatments that they would get anywhere else in the world, [39:02] except for this country. Thank you. Thank you. As part of the Trump administration's effort to return [39:09] education to the states and put power back into the hands of parents and families as well, HHS has signed [39:17] a number of interagency agreements with the Department of Education to administer medical accreditation and [39:22] early childhood education and care programs. Please say more about why it makes sense to run these programs out of HHS. [39:32] Well, some of these programs should have always been in under HHS purview. It just makes more [39:39] sense. They're health related programs rather than particularly educated programs. And we have many parallel [39:46] programs at HHS that can benefit from synergies from each other. The decision is also within the purview of the DOE [40:00] Secretary Secretary, Linda McMahon. She has power to contract out these functions to other agencies, [40:07] and it's a broad power, and she's operating under that power. There have been troubling reports of states [40:15] removing children from their parents' care when those parents decline to support their child's [40:21] self-identification or self-identification as another sex. Do parents have the right to raise their [40:31] children according to their sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions? President Trump believes [40:38] that they do. And during the Biden administration, the Biden administration, HHS sent out letters to [40:46] states to pass legislation to prohibit people who had certain religious beliefs from being able to foster [40:54] children. This turns out to have been a very, very large pool of people. And as a result of that, [41:00] we've, the ratio between children, foster children, and parents has dropped to two to one. Our objective [41:09] by the end of my administration here and the Trump administration is to get us back to a one-to-one [41:16] ratio. And we have sent out letters to all the states to end that policy. Thank you. My time has expired. [41:26] I now recognize the gentleman from Connecticut, Mr. Courtney. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary, [41:33] after 14 months on the job, your long-overdue appearance before this committee is particularly [41:38] pertinent given the fact that your uncle, John F. Kennedy, served on this committee for his entire [41:43] six years as a House member representing the 11th district of Massachusetts. As his national archive [41:48] bio states, as a House member, he advocated expanding health care for all. And as president in 1961, [41:55] he supported passage of Medicare legislation, the King Anderson bill, which was ultimately enacted in 1965 [42:01] by his successor. That transformational federal law provided universal insurance for seniors at a [42:07] time when only 50% could afford health insurance. And over time, it has vastly improved the health and [42:13] life expectancy of our nation. Your other uncle, Senator Ted Kennedy, who I'm proud to say campaigned [42:19] for me when I was first elected to Congress by a whopping margin of 83 votes, declared, quote, [42:24] universal health care is the cause of my life, and was lead sponsor of the Affordable Care Act when it [42:29] was introduced in 2009. He did not live to see its enactment. But we know now that the ACA successfully [42:36] cut the uninsured rate in half by 2024 prior to your arrival at HHS. Clearly, universal health care [42:44] is not the cause of your life. On your watch at HHS, we've seen a massive jump in the uninsured [42:49] population. Since January 2025, 1.2 million have already lost coverage, thanks to the Trump [42:55] administration's refusal to extend the ACA enhanced tax credits, even though we passed a bipartisan bill [43:02] in the House to do so. A couple of days ago, the Wall Street Journal reported that that 1.2 million [43:09] number is going to continue to grow because 14% of new enrollees this year didn't make their first [43:15] payments for the new Trump premiums. As the Journal reported, this will add millions more to the ranks [43:21] of the uninsured. Even worse, with the passage of the misnamed One Big Beautiful Bill, CBO reports [43:27] another 10 million at least will lose their coverage as states are forced to implement the largest [43:32] cut to Medicaid in American history. According to Gallup two weeks ago, the affordability of [43:38] health coverage has now jumped to the top domestic policy concern facing Americans, which is pretty [43:43] striking given the fact that the cost of housing, groceries, and gas to get to work has skyrocketed [43:49] under this administration. But they're right to be concerned about the expense of trying to maintain [43:55] insurance coverage because they know when you lose health insurance, you miss routine checkups, [44:00] preventive tests, and scans for cancer and heart disease, and inpatient care if needed. Slashing [44:05] health insurance affordability does not make America healthy nor more economically secure. [44:11] At an Easter luncheon a couple of weeks ago, Mr. Trump stated that, quote, it's not possible for [44:16] the federal government to pay for Medicare and Medicaid. It's up to the states to take responsibility [44:21] for those programs. As the person in charge of CMS, and after 60 years of operation as a federal [44:28] program, which by the way, your father voted for in 1965, when he was a senator from the state of New [44:33] York, do you support his position that states should take over control and operation of the Medicare [44:39] program? I believe that we should save Medicaid and Medicare on their absolute critical programs. And [44:47] President Trump has pledged to do that and is doing everything his power to do so. There are no cuts [44:55] to Medicaid. They look at the Congressional Budget Office reports. My question, excuse me, was do you [45:02] think the states should be vested with control of the Medicare program? That's the question because [45:10] that's exactly what he said. He's your boss. Is that your position? President Trump's position is that we [45:16] should preserve Medicare. No, by sending it to the states? That's the death. Are you saying Medicaid [45:21] or Medicare? Medicare. It's right there. President Trump's objective is to save Medicare and we are [45:27] taking... Not by... Well, it will not save it by sending it to the states. That will destroy the [45:32] program and that's why it was designed the way it was 60 years ago. I don't think there's a proposal to [45:36] send it to the states. Okay, let me ask you another question. In your... I don't know of that proposal [45:41] and the president has not told me about it. Well... The president is trying to save... Well, the... [45:46] For seniors... For seniors in American families, they listen to what the president says and they [45:52] understand exactly what he's talking about, which is destroying the Medicare program. In your testimony, [45:57] you talked about having... You can't let me answer... You clearly don't want me to answer these [46:03] questions. Well, you actually didn't answer the question at all. You didn't talk about whether the [46:08] states should be given the authority to run Medicare. My answer has to begin with correcting [46:12] a lot of the misstatements that you made in your introduction. I'm happy to do that. Well, [46:20] that's not a misstatement. That's a... That's a direct quote from your boss. I'm telling you the [46:25] president's policy is to save Medicare. That's what he's always said. Giving it to the states will [46:30] destroy Medicare. I yield back. Gentleman yields and I recognize the gentlelady from North Carolina, [46:39] Mr. Virginia Fox. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary, it's good to see you. We welcome [46:46] you to the committee. I... I have to join the chairman... Chairman Wahlberg in saying that the [46:55] Department of Health and Human Services budget request is a breath of fresh air. Congratulations [47:01] to you on presenting us with a budget that could reduce spending by 1.8 billion annually, saving taxpayer [47:09] dollars at the federal level while still providing the programs and services that reach families who [47:16] need them. Under the previous secretary, the department engaged in runaway spending. So I congratulate you [47:23] on what you're doing. Secretary, this committee has held two hearings and marked up eight bills related to [47:31] the child care and development block grant or CCDBG program. Federal child care assistance is a critical [47:38] support for low-income working parents seeking to access child care and remain in the workforce. [47:46] Therefore, child care is not only a family issue but an economic issue. HHS awards many different grants [47:53] for states in the human services space. Can you explain the urgent need to protect programs like CCDBG [48:01] from waste, fraud, and abuse, especially as they are administered at the state level? I mean, we're... [48:09] we saw during the Biden administration, my predecessor actually instructed people in my department [48:17] and program integrity. So they took... we had 80 people in my department when Secretary Becerra came in [48:26] who were assigned to do program integrity for these programs, these state programs, and he fired all [48:33] but six of them. So that stopped. And they specifically told people in my department, don't worry about fraud, [48:41] worry about enrollments. They changed a policy to a policy of our payment policy, to a pay and chase policy, [48:50] so that even claims that we knew to be fraudulent, we would pay and then later go back and try to claw [48:59] back that money, which incidentally never happened. We have now changed those policies. We are investigating [49:06] the fraud, and I'll give you one example. In Minnesota, for applied behavioral analytics, [49:15] we... which is treatments for autism, kids with autism, we were expecting to pay seven billion dollars, [49:24] seven million dollars a year for that program. We ended up paying almost 300 million. The difference [49:31] is fraud, and we're seeing that now that that money was being... some of it was being sent to Al Shabbat, [49:40] in Somalia. We have now impounded payments to Minnesota because they have, for one quarter, [49:47] about 350 million, because they've refused to give us receipts. And we've said, we're not going to pay [49:54] until you can show us the receipts. Well, I'm proud to say that in North Carolina, [49:59] our Republican legislature is doing everything it can to hold Democrat elected officials in the state [50:06] state to account for fraud and abuse in North Carolina on Medicaid and other programs. And so [50:14] I'm very proud of them. I also want to say, Mr. Secretary, many of us have issues from our states [50:22] and from our constituents that deal with HHS. And I hope you'll commit today to helping us get some of [50:29] those issues solved, because many times they do save money for the taxpayers. So I will appreciate [50:37] your making that commitment. Congresswoman, I look forward to working with your staff. Thank you. [50:45] My last question, Mr. Secretary, is I have heard today that a new Danish study just came out finding [50:51] no connection between Tylenol and autism. What is your reaction to that study? The study is a garbage study. [51:00] It should be retracted. A study took a million medical records of a billion Danish women, [51:07] and it compared women who got Tylenol during pregnancy to people who did not. The problem is, [51:13] the way it determined whether they got Tylenol during pregnancy was by prescriptions. So only 2% of the [51:21] people in the study got Tylenol during pregnancy, according to the endpoint. In fact, we know because [51:29] Tylenol is available by over-the-counter. Most of you have taken Tylenol, very few of you have ever [51:36] gotten a prescription. 50% of the women in Denmark, we know from other studies, actually took Tylenol during [51:44] pregnancy. So the study was comparing people, women who took Tylenol during pregnancy to women who took [51:51] Tylenol during pregnancy. It was a garbage in, garbage out study. The industry has the capacity to generate [51:58] these studies all the time, and it's fraudulent. It should be retracted. Thank you. The gentlelady's [52:05] time has expired. I now recognize the gentlelady from Oregon, Ms. Matamichi. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [52:11] Mr. Secretary, the mission of the Department of Health and Human Services starts with these words, [52:16] to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans. This is a yes or no question. Does all [52:22] Americans include children? Of course. Well, I frequently talk with families who tell me they can't [52:28] find child care, and if they can find it, they can't afford it. In fact, the child care crisis [52:33] is costing families about $134 billion in lost earnings annually. And recently, as we've heard [52:39] this morning, and I'll repeat, the President said there's no money for daycare because he needs more [52:44] money to fight the war, which is costing about $2 billion a day. Your department's budget flat funds [52:50] child care, which won't help at all. Yet you did spend money on a bizarre vanity video with Kid Rocks. [52:57] So Secretary Kennedy, how does it enhance the health and well-being of children to spend HHS's limited [53:04] resources and taxpayer money on a video of yourself drinking milk in a hot tub with Kid Rock? And how [53:10] much did it cost to prepare and produce this video? Congresswoman, I was asked to cut costs [53:18] across my department because we have a $39 trillion debt. I understand, Mr. Secretary. How much did it cost [53:24] to produce this video? I want to correct something that you said. I'm asking how much did it cost to [53:31] produce this video? I would have no idea. Okay, you don't have any idea. Well, I'll tell you that [53:34] that money, whatever it cost, I consider waste, fraud, and abuse. And that's money that should have [53:39] invested in our nation's children and spent on something like health care and child care that [53:44] actually improve people's lives. Actually, you know, so many people have come up to me who saw that video [53:51] and say, that inspired me to work out. That's one of the things that we want to do in this. [53:55] The return on investment that we get from early childhood education shows that for every dollar [54:00] we spend, we get back somewhere between $4 and $16. Secretary Kennedy, about 20 years ago, the United [54:07] States eliminated measles. So, or so we thought. But now because of your anti-science rhetoric, [54:14] vaccination rates are down in many places below the 95% threshold needed to maintain herd immunity. [54:20] And I know you said that happened before you were secretary, but Mr. Secretary, you've been a [54:25] longtime voice against vaccination for more than 20 years. Measles is highly contagious. It can make [54:31] babies, babies who may be too young to be vaccinated so sick that they stop eating and drinking and may [54:37] develop pneumonia or brain swelling. In my home state of Oregon, the Oregon Health Authority just recently [54:43] warned about multiple new locations where people may have been exposed. A community college, a middle [54:48] school, health clinics, grocery stores. This is unacceptable. So, Secretary Kennedy, does exposing [54:53] infants and children to measles enhance their health and well-being? I've never been anti-vaccine. I've [55:00] always said I'm not anti-vaccine. Right now, I just approved three weeks ago $500 million for [55:08] research on a new cancer vaccine. Okay, Mr. Secretary, you have been a long-time voice against vaccination. [55:14] No, I haven't. No, I'm not anti-vaccine. I'm pro-science. What I've said is vaccines should [55:20] be adequately safety tested so we know both the risks and the benefits. I'm funding a major [55:28] study on developing a universal flu vaccine at NIH. Reclaiming my time. Mr. Secretary, in fact, you have [55:34] said in a congressional hearing that people should not be taking medical advice from you. The problem is that [55:40] they are and they believe what you say. So, Secretary Kennedy, I have another question. Does enhancing health [55:47] include mental health? Of course. Good. I'm glad you agree because recently masked armed ICE agents [55:54] surrounded some high school students near their school. A Latino student from Oregon, a U.S. citizen, [56:00] recently spoke about he and his friends feel scared at school, have trouble focusing, and feel [56:06] dehumanized. And President Trump, as you likely know, repealed the guidance that keeps ICE out of [56:12] sensitive locations like schools and healthcare centers. Now, children can't understand the [56:16] complexities of the U.S. immigration system, but they are scared and they can feel anxiety. So, [56:21] Secretary Kennedy, does it enhance the health and well-being of children to allow immigration [56:27] enforcement in and around schools and at child care centers? Does that help kids? It enhance, it was not [56:32] enhancing our health and well-being of the American people to allow 20 million illegal aliens into [56:39] this country. And President Trump, again, is left with a mess that he is having to... Mr. Secretary, [56:45] in no... And he is having to clean up... In no legal or moral or ethical frame does it does it make sense to [56:52] punish children. Young children's brains are highly influenced by these... That was the biggest humanitarian [56:58] crisis in modern history, what you guys caused. If you cared about children, we have now stopped 97% [57:07] of the unaccompanied minors from coming across the border. Mr. Secretary, supporting the health... [57:11] That advances a concern for children. Mr. Secretary, support... I'm reclaiming my time. Supporting the health [57:16] and well-being of our nation's children is the best investment we can make for the good of the country and [57:21] the safety and health of American people, including children, and to truly make America healthy again. [57:26] You should resign and allow someone with real qualifications to run this agency. [57:30] The gentlelady's time has expired. I now recognize the gentleman from Wisconsin, Mr. Gruthman. [57:36] Yeah, I voted for President Trump for a lot of reasons, but one of the primary reasons was [57:41] I thought he might give you this position. So I'm glad you're here. [57:45] Very grateful. Yes. On this mental health thing, I am given where the mental health professionals have stood [57:55] on this transgender treatment. I wonder how much we can trust that occupation to get anything right. [58:02] So just not everybody thinks we ought to give these mental health professionals [58:07] more. But now we're going to switch to the questions. What effect have the poor guidelines from [58:13] the old food pyramid, what effects have poor guidelines on the old food pyramid had on child health? [58:22] And by the way, compared. Yeah, go ahead. Yeah, I mean, the food pyramid was for 50 years, [58:30] was written by industry lobbyists and reflected the mercantile ambitions of those industries and not [58:37] public health. It pushed Americans towards ultra processed foods and highly refined carbohydrates that [58:44] destroyed their metabolic system. Oh, 70 percent of the calories Americans eat typically right now are [58:50] ultra processor or ultra processor or highly refined carbohydrates and it caused a metabolic crisis. [58:57] Diabetes is an example. When I was a kid, the average pediatrician saw one case of type [59:04] juvenile or of type two diabetes over 40 or 50 year career. Today, 38 percent of American teens are diabetic [59:12] or pre-diabetic. It has made our country the sickest country in the world, the sickest with chronic [59:19] disease. In the history of the world, 77 percent of American children cannot qualify for military [59:25] service. That should get a lot of people's attention. Well, I'll tell you, there's a lot of [59:32] a lot of money floating around here from the junk food lobbyists and the pharmaceutical industry and [59:37] I'm glad you're taking it on and I'm sure you're going to get a lot of hostility from the other side of [59:41] the aisle from from your desire to do that. Touching on this sex change operations and all this hoo-ha, [59:51] the professional medical societies and particularly the mental health societies have endorsed these [59:58] sex change operations. To me, it means we just can't trust the medical societies. But why do you believe [1:00:05] they did this? Why were the mental health professional people pushing sex change operations on 14 year old [1:00:13] kids? What do you think? Well, it was a multi-billion dollar industry and I think that, you know, [1:00:23] the corruption follows the money. But you look at the signs, there's now been two major meta-reviews [1:00:31] been done, the CAS study in the UK, which the revelations of the CAS study stop Europeans from [1:00:39] funding these. And then we did our own meta-review plus individual studies at NIH that showed the same [1:00:48] thing. The results to children, the outcomes in children are catastrophic in terms of depression, [1:00:58] suicide, all kinds of illnesses. It's condemnation to a life of misery. And there is no scientific [1:01:08] justification. Common sense. I'll give you a follow-up here. What can we do to protect children [1:01:14] in the future from the medical associations and particularly the mental health medical associations [1:01:20] from harming our kids? How can we prevent them from doing that? Well, we have taken steps to do that. [1:01:25] We have ended all federal funding for those kind of, for puberty blockers and gender mutilation [1:01:34] surgeries. And we have instructed hospitals and medical centers around the country that if they do [1:01:43] host those kind of interventions, that they will lose all their Medicaid and Medicare funding. Thank you. [1:01:49] What scares me is the professionals who pushed this stuff in the past are still practicing. And that [1:01:57] concerns me because if they can't get this right, if they're pushing sex change operations on 14-year-old [1:02:02] kids, I'm afraid they probably can't get anything right. Would you ever, under any circumstances, [1:02:08] send one of your grandchildren to a medical professional who you knew, even if he stopped [1:02:13] doing it, had at one time or other pushed this stuff? I would not. I didn't think so. Now, a quick [1:02:19] question follow-up. We talked about nutrition and a large segment of American society gets their money [1:02:28] from food stamps or food share. Would you be in favor of some widespread restructuring this whole [1:02:35] program or maybe getting rid of the food stamp program and starting with a new program that was [1:02:40] more healthy-based? I support the food stamp program. And under Brooke Rollins' leadership at USDA, we are [1:02:49] transforming it. We've already, with Brooke and I, encouraging them, over half the states have now applied [1:02:58] for SNAP waivers. They're no longer paying for soda, for sugar sodas, which were 10 percent of the SNAP [1:03:05] budget. So we were giving poor kids, 63 million poor kids in this country, diabetes for free at federal [1:03:13] expense, and treating them. 78 percent of them end up on Medicaid, and we're treating them afterwards. [1:03:19] We are paying at both ends. The gentleman's time has expired. Half the states, almost all red states, [1:03:24] although two blue states, have now applied for SNAP waivers. Soon we're going to have [1:03:30] a definition of ultra-processed foods. We're going to encourage these states. The gentleman's time has [1:03:33] expired. I have to move on. And I recognize the gentleman from California, Mr. Tucano. Thank you, [1:03:39] Mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary, you are the nation's top health official. [1:03:43] And I want to talk to you today about the president's mental health. [1:03:49] On April 5th, at 8 o'clock in the morning of Easter Sunday, President Trump posted this [1:03:57] statement on social media. Tuesday will be power plant day and bridge day, all wrapped in one in [1:04:04] Iran. There will be nothing like it. Open the fucking straight, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in [1:04:12] hell. Just watch. Praise be to Allah, President Donald J. Trump. [1:04:18] An American president used the F word in a Sunday morning message that was seen by millions of people. [1:04:28] Mr. Secretary, does this raise concerns for you about the president's mental health? [1:04:34] The president is a bargainer, and he knows how to make good deals. [1:04:39] Mr. Secretary, does this raise questions about the president's mental health to you? [1:04:44] Here's what I would say, that for two generations, every American president... [1:04:50] Mr. Secretary, you're being non-responsive. I'm reclaiming my time, Mr. Secretary. [1:04:55] I gather the answer. It does not raise concerns for you. Two days later, on April 7th, [1:05:01] President Trump put out a statement that said, quote, a whole civilization will die tonight, [1:05:08] never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will, end quote. [1:05:14] Mr. Secretary, the commander-in-chief of the United States military is calling for the eradication of [1:05:21] an entire civilization. And five days later, the president started posting on Truth Social at 9 p.m. [1:05:29] at night, continuing until 5 a.m. the next morning, and included an unhinged attack on Pope Leo, claiming [1:05:37] Pope Leo was weak on crime. And then, later that day, the next day, President Trump posted this image [1:05:45] of himself as Jesus Christ. Mr. Secretary, people across the country and around the world were deeply [1:05:56] offended by this blasphemous image. Millions of Americans are questioning this president's mental [1:06:03] fitness, his emotional stability, and whether he can carry out the duties of his office. Do you share [1:06:10] their concerns about his mental health? I want to call your attention to the last line of that. Mr. [1:06:16] Secretary, my question was, do you share their concerns about his mental health? I want to call [1:06:20] your attention. Mr. Secretary, you're not being responsive, apparently not reclaiming my time, [1:06:24] Mr. Secretary. Mr. Secretary, reclaiming my time. Mr. Chairman, direct witness. It's my time, [1:06:30] Mr. Secretary. You're not being responsive, and apparently you don't share their concerns. [1:06:35] We are a nation at war, Mr. Secretary. We need a commander in chief that we know has full command [1:06:42] of his mental faculties and is emotionally stable as he sends uniformed American men and women into harm's [1:06:49] way. Millions of Americans are now wondering if this president is delusional and thinks [1:06:57] he is Jesus Christ. Mr. Secretary, given everything that I've shown you today, will you insist that [1:07:05] President Trump undergo an assessment of his mental fitness and his emotional stability? [1:07:10] Absolutely not. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Reclaiming my time. So absolutely not. I remind [1:07:17] you that under the 25th Amendment, you have a duty to remove a president who is physically or mentally [1:07:24] unable to discharge his responsibilities under the Constitution. It's your duty. You took an oath to the [1:07:29] Constitution, not to President Trump. Mr. Secretary, should President Trump fail a mental fitness test [1:07:38] or an evaluation about his mental stability or emotional stability, would you vote to invoke [1:07:45] the 25th Amendment? There hasn't been a president who's more sane. Mr. Secretary, [1:07:49] my question is, would you vote to invoke the 25th Amendment? Mr. Secretary, reclaiming my time. [1:07:55] It's my question. It's my question. My question, Mr. Secretary, would you invoke the 24th Amendment if [1:08:00] he were to fail an assessment of his mental stability or emotional stability? I said, President Trump is [1:08:05] the most... Apparently not, Mr. Secretary. Apparently not. Mr. Secretary, we can all see that this president [1:08:13] is mentally unstable, emotionally unstable, and is unfit to lead this country. You as the nation's top health [1:08:21] official have a particular role here, and you are choosing your loyalty to Donald Trump over your [1:08:29] loyalty to the Constitution and being, keeping the faith with the American people. Thank you, [1:08:34] Mr. Chairman. I yield back. Well, you need the fundraising video. Mr. Chairman, I thank you. [1:08:40] The gentleman's time has expired and been yielded, and I can ask the second grade classes to turn in again [1:08:49] at this point. I would... I would... I'd hesitate to say something about the 25th Amendment with the [1:08:56] last president. There was no concern there from the other side, but I won't say that. So now I [1:09:01] recognize the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Allen, for his five minutes. Thank you, Chair Wahlberg, [1:09:08] for holding this important hearing, and I thank Secretary Kennedy for testifying. Sir, would you... [1:09:13] I'll give you... I'll yield time to you. Would you like to answer the gentleman's question? [1:09:17] Well, I don't really care to, but I... You know what? Because I'm not here to discuss foreign policy, [1:09:24] but every Democrat in this chamber has promised for generations that we weren't going to let [1:09:30] Iran get a nuclear weapon. It kept getting kicked down the road. President Trump is cleaning up messes [1:09:38] that other people made, and he's doing it in a way he's... He's the best business bargainer that we've [1:09:44] ever had in the presidency. He knows how to make deals. He's made the best deals for this country [1:09:51] through tariffs, all the things he's engaged in. He's a genius at it. Let him do his work. Let him be [1:09:57] president. Give him your support, and let's support this country and our troops, and try to move forward [1:10:03] as a nation. He's trying to fix the problems that you made. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. For years, [1:10:10] we're getting back to the subject we're talking about here today is health care, and we got a mess [1:10:16] there, too, created by obviously the Affordable Care Act, and you know, we're spending five trillion [1:10:23] on health care, and we get the worse outcomes. I mean, you know, that's what we should be concerned [1:10:29] about here today. But for years, pharmacy benefit managers have benefited from opaque pricing tactics, [1:10:35] while health care costs continue to soar. My legislation, the PBM Kickback Brawpation Act, [1:10:42] would prohibit PBMs from paying consultants and brokers who give trusted advice to employers and [1:10:47] group health plan fiduciaries from taking compensation for steering businesses to PBMs. What steps can HHS [1:10:55] take to curb PBMs' abusive practices, and how might Congress be able to assist in this effort? [1:11:00] Well, it is a, it's one of the, I would say, perverse features of the health care system, [1:11:10] that PBMs who add nothing are getting 40% of profits from drugs, and they're driving up costs [1:11:16] everywhere. President Trump has us laser-focused on fixing the problem, and I want to thank Congress [1:11:23] for passing the recent bill that allows us to now go and negotiate with the PBMs. We were already [1:11:30] doing that. I want to commend Cigna and David Cordani for actually developing a model that is much more [1:11:38] rational, and that gets rid of the hidden kickbacks, that delinks the cost of the list price of medicines [1:11:51] from the compensations of the PBMs. The PBMs' compensation was increased by getting you to buy the most [1:12:00] expensive, they're supposed to be a neutral arbiter on your side. They made money if you bought the most [1:12:06] expensive form of that medication. So they were steering Americans always toward the most expensive [1:12:12] one, and that's one of the things that drove up health care. Well, we're losing pharmacies every day in rural [1:12:18] America. And we're getting vertical integration that is destroying our health care system. [1:12:24] Then let's talk about health care affordability. You know, affordability is a big subject today, [1:12:30] and obviously we spend twice what any other nation spends on health care with worse outcomes. [1:12:42] You know, I'm talking about American workers and their families in ERISA specifically, which is [1:12:49] where we cover most of the lives. What do you believe is the underlying causes of high health [1:12:55] care costs? And would you please discuss how much control employers who provide health benefits for [1:13:01] their workers have over these costs? Well, the biggest driver of health care [1:13:06] causes is the chronic disease epidemic. So when my uncle was president, we spent zero on chronic disease [1:13:12] in this country, zero. Today we're spending 48% out of every dollar paid, if you include Social Security [1:13:20] health expenditures in the military. 48 cents out of every dollar the taxpayer gives to the federal [1:13:27] government goes to health care. And 90% of that is chronic disease. The only way that we can solve this [1:13:34] problem is by chronic disease. Another driver is high drug costs. We were paying the highest, we were paying [1:13:43] two, three, five, 10, 15 times for the exact same drug, made in a plant in New Jersey. And in London, [1:13:54] for example, Ozempic in this country, the list price when I came in was $1,300. In London, you could get it [1:14:01] in any pharmacy for $88. And that was the rule. We are now fixed MFN. We're going to be paying the lowest [1:14:09] cost in the world. Another driver is the lack of transparency. There is no market. If you go buy [1:14:15] an automobile and the guy who's selling it to you said, I'm not going to tell you the price until [1:14:20] after you buy it, you'd think he was crazy. I'm sorry, I'm out of time. But I would like to meet [1:14:27] with you on some solutions that we're talking about, particularly to privatize ERISA and give it a [1:14:33] waiver. The gentleman's time has expired and I'm sure the meeting can take place. Now, I recognize that [1:14:38] the gentlelady from North Carolina, Ms. Adams. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Secretary [1:14:43] Kennedy, for being here. I have a yes or no question. Do you agree that there's a connection [1:14:48] between nutrition and health? Of course. Thank you. So nutrition and the importance of healthy foods [1:14:57] seem to be a core part of the Maha movement. Is that correct? Of course. Okay. Like you, I believe [1:15:04] that you can't be healthy if you're hungry. But as Secretary of Health and Human Services, [1:15:09] do you, in your capacity, advise the president on nutrition issues as they relate to health? [1:15:16] You mean his personal health? On health issues? Any of it? Oh, yeah. Okay. Thank you. Well, [1:15:25] as I'm sure you know, many studies show that childhood is a critical time for proper nutrition. So a [1:15:32] person's diet in childhood has a massive impact on their lifelong health and chronic disease risk. [1:15:39] In February, you visited an elementary school where you had the opportunity to observe their scratch [1:15:45] cooking practices and discuss the importance of serving healthy and fresh foods with school [1:15:51] administrators and food service staff. So can you tell me why then did the president's budget include [1:15:58] major cuts to programs for child nutrition, like the five million from the farm to school program, [1:16:05] eliminating school lunch equipment grants, and reducing the benefits that mothers and young [1:16:10] children receive for fresh fruits and vegetables under the WIC program? [1:16:15] We are absolutely committed to child health and good nutrition. We just put, you know, we have, [1:16:22] we've preserved Head Start from any of the cuts and we just put $62 million into Head Start to make sure [1:16:31] that the 660,000 children who are in Head Start can have... All right, let me reclaim my time. I have some other [1:16:39] questions. So did the president discuss these proposed cuts with you? The president? No. Yes. Okay. Well, you know, [1:16:47] cuts to the program that help ensure access to healthy and local foods would be a betrayal, [1:16:55] I believe, of the Maha agenda, which is your agenda. We are expanding. Excuse me, sir. [1:17:00] I'm claiming my time here. Do you agree with these cuts being included in the president's budget? [1:17:06] We are expanding access. Can you give me a yes or no? Do you agree with the, with the cuts being proposed? [1:17:13] We are expanding access. All right. I'm claiming my time. Do you, do you agree or do you not? [1:17:18] We are expanding. Do you say yes or no? Okay. Okay. So can, can I count on you to urge the president, [1:17:24] the president to reconsider these cuts and instead invest in school meals? He is. Can we count on, [1:17:30] can we count on you? Is that a yes or no? Can you give me a yes or no? Can I count on you to? [1:17:35] Providing good nutrition to children? Absolutely. All right. So, well, listen, it seems like, [1:17:41] and I'm glad you said that, but it seems like a betrayal of the people who have been promised by [1:17:47] you as secretary to use your position to make food healthier. So thank you for clarifying that [1:17:54] for the American people. And let me ask you about a survey of school food service directors who found [1:18:01] that 79% of respondents expressed an extreme need, an extreme need for an increase in funding [1:18:08] in order to expand scratch cooking and reduce the use of ultra processed foods. So that same survey [1:18:16] found that there's a serious need for additional staff, additional equipment, culinary training, [1:18:22] and infrastructure. So, sir, are you aware of the barriers such as food cost inflation and lack of [1:18:28] kitchen equipment that schools face in serving healthy meats to children across the country? [1:18:34] I am absolutely aware of it. Okay. So that's good to hear. But the budget, [1:18:39] And we are doing something about it. The budget fails, excuse me, sir, I'm claiming my time here. [1:18:43] That's good to hear. Because the budget fails to provide any investments. And in fact, it does the [1:18:51] opposite. So what should I, what should, excuse me, what should I tell, I'm reclaiming my time. So what [1:18:58] should I tell food service directors in my district who want to make the transition to less ultra processed [1:19:04] and prepackaged foods, but can barely cover the costs of these expenses? What should I tell them? [1:19:11] You, you might start by telling them the truth. All right. Well, I, I'm not getting that from you, [1:19:16] but I suggest that you take the time, uh, to meet with food service directors across this country [1:19:22] for a better understanding of the financial pressures on school meals programs. Many programs [1:19:28] in our country are, are just not well funded enough. They're not, and you keep, and you keep supporting the [1:19:34] cuts in these budgets. Uh, they're not well funded enough to scratch, prepare meals and serve less ultra [1:19:41] processed and prepackaged food. All of which are, are alleged goals outlined in your MAGA report. [1:19:49] Make America healthy again. You're not doing it, Mr. Secretary. Mr. Chairman, I yield back. [1:19:55] I know. I yield back. I recognize the gentleman from Kentucky, Mr. Comer. [1:20:01] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And Mr. Secretary, thank you so much for being here today. [1:20:05] Uh, I want to bring to your attention a program very important to Kentuckians. Uh, the Community [1:20:11] Services Block Grant or CSBG program. Community action agencies throughout Kentucky leverage a [1:20:17] lean budget of federal CSBG funding and private resources to help individuals and families set [1:20:23] out on a path to financial independence and self-sustainability. The community action agencies in [1:20:29] my congressional district in Kentucky have shared with me concerns about the delivery of CSBG funding [1:20:35] administered by HHS being delayed. Uh, thankfully, Kentucky Community Action has a well-managed budget [1:20:42] and has, uh, funding in reserves to last them for several more weeks. Unfortunately, they estimate that [1:20:47] funding will begin to run out in early May. Is there an estimate of when CSBG funding for the remainder of [1:20:54] quarter two and quarter three will be released? We are trying to get it out the door, [1:20:59] Congressman. We are in the internet. We're in the interagency process right now. Thank you. [1:21:06] Can I, can I take a minute of your time just to reply to the previous? Yes, sir. [1:21:10] What I would say to the Congresswoman is if you want just a sound bite that you can come in here, [1:21:18] you can get that and you did it. But if you actually want to solve the problem, call, call me because [1:21:23] we're aligned on the issue of getting good food to children and we think that we're doing a good job of it. [1:21:30] We could do a better job, but come and tell us how we can do a better job. And that would be [1:21:35] something we could all profit from. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. I love, I love what you say about [1:21:40] the sound bites. I, this is not my, the committee I chair, uh, committee I chair is oversight committee [1:21:46] and, uh, the Democrats live and breathe for sound bites. Uh, they have competitions to get on MSNBC [1:21:51] and CNN during, during committee hearings, unfortunately. I can't wait to comment. Yeah. [1:21:56] Well, again, uh, talking about the work in, in my oversight committee, we've led an investigation [1:22:04] of the pharmacy benefit managers. Uh, we still have a long way to go to prevent PBM manipulation [1:22:10] of patient access to effective and affordable medicines. Uh, I was glad to see the lower cost, [1:22:15] more transparency act signed into law by president Trump. As you know, the PBM transparency and [1:22:20] disclosure requirements, including that law will give patients and plan sponsors a more accurate [1:22:25] picture of how little known companies have distorted and taken advantage of our nation's healthcare [1:22:31] system. My question, Mr. Secretary, do you consider vertical integration by the PBMs and their related [1:22:37] companies a safety issue? I absolutely do. And there is four companies that basically control the [1:22:44] whole industry and that's not good by any economic model. It destroys competition. It raises prices. [1:22:53] It lowers the quality of care. Absolutely. Absolutely. There are three FDA approved drugs for a common [1:23:00] form of leukemia. Doctors must prescribe the most effective one based on each patient's individual [1:23:05] health profile, including heart conditions or past responses to medication. These three leukemia drugs are [1:23:11] not interchangeable, but some insurance plans are making patients fail on day one before they can [1:23:19] access the preferred course of treatment prescribed by their doctor. So on March 19th, I sent a letter [1:23:25] to Dr. Oz expressing these concerns. However, I continue to hear stories about how insurance companies [1:23:30] and their PBMs override physician recommendations and block patients from getting the drugs they desperately [1:23:37] need. Is there a reason patients should have to fail first on another medication? And what is HHS doing to [1:23:44] prevent insurers and their PBMs from acquiring these types of unnecessary and often harmful outcomes? [1:23:50] Well, we, you know, I convene the insurance companies, the biggest ones that represent 80 percent of [1:24:00] American lives, uh, three months into my office and I got them all to agree to end, um, uh, prior authorization [1:24:11] and 87 percent of the, or 80 percent of the, of the procedures and conditions and prescriptions by 2027. [1:24:22] So I think we may see an improvement, but as you know, it is a rapacious industry and they have, uh, they [1:24:31] have people who don't have medical degrees making decisions that are life and death for patients. [1:24:39] After the doctor has said, you need this drug, somebody, some bean counter in the insurance [1:24:45] company is telling them, I'm not going to let you have it. Oh, uh, it's not a good system and it's, [1:24:53] and you know, we have to end it. And, and, and I'll, I'll conclude by saying this, Mr. Chairman and Mr. [1:24:59] Secretary, I think we don't agree on a lot in here on a bipartisan basis, but I think everyone agrees [1:25:04] that the healthcare system in America is a disaster. We blame that on Obamacare. Uh, everyone wants to [1:25:11] improve the healthcare system. We all believe two, two things that, that the health insurers are taking [1:25:17] advantage of, of patients. Uh, the health insurers are, are, you know, impossible to deal with by the [1:25:25] providers and the PBMs have to be reined in. So thank you for your great work, Mr. Chairman. [1:25:30] The gentleman's time has expired. I now recognize the, uh, gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Norcross. [1:25:37] Thank you, Chairman. And I'd like to thank the witness for being here today. And hopefully, uh, [1:25:42] in the next five minutes, we can have a conversation that is unfortunately near and dear to so many people [1:25:48] in the United States, certainly your family and my family. And that is the mental health and the [1:25:54] disease of addiction. And the budget that is proposed speaks of the values of that organization. [1:26:02] So in particular, I want to talk about the mental health parity. We've seen devastation, [1:26:08] the impact that addiction has on families. We know that all so well. We've been to those funerals. [1:26:15] This is an issue that I hope that we can have an area of some common ground. I'm not looking for a [1:26:21] soundbite. I'm looking for answers and something that I thought we had worked long and hard that [1:26:28] we aligned. So the action by the department under your leadership suggests that the Trump [1:26:35] administrations are retreating from the important issue and listening more to the insurance companies. [1:26:43] Because as you know, if we go back 20 years, mental health was something that barely was ever talked [1:26:48] about. Can you just clarify the insurance companies on what aspect? For parity. Oh, for parity. Okay. [1:26:57] Spend it physically. You have to spend the money. And this is where much of the addiction and mental [1:27:01] health comes in. So looking at the facts, under your predecessor, the Department of Labor, Treasury, [1:27:09] and your department had landmark regulations strengthening the oversight of the health plan [1:27:15] and the insurers. Critically important, these are the toughest federal parity rules ever applied to [1:27:22] insurance companies. Last year, the department announced that you would no longer enforce this [1:27:27] regulation. Since then, the administration has refused to stand up to defend the regulation in a lawsuit [1:27:35] by the trade association. To me, this is an indication of a retreat by the departments to go after, [1:27:43] to make sure that mental health addiction treatment is available to anybody in the health care who [1:27:52] has health insurance. And really surprised to see that this happened. Trump's bipartisan recommendation [1:27:59] coming out of the 2017 opioid commission, led by Chris Christie and former representative Patrick [1:28:05] Kennedy, amongst others, to increase the federal government's authority to enforce parity. Going to the [1:28:13] the insurance companies to say you have to treat mental health addiction services the same way you would [1:28:21] treat diabetes or any other health condition. Why has the department that you have made this change, [1:28:31] not going after the insurance companies so people can get the treatment they need? First of all, [1:28:39] I want to thank you for raising the issue and raising it in such a civil way. And I would offline, I would [1:28:45] love to talk to you more about this. We have a major, for me it's a personal focus, but within my department, [1:28:54] we have major new programs to address opioid addiction, other forms of addiction that I'd like to [1:29:00] talk to you about. My cousin authored that bill, Patrick Kennedy, he is an advisor now to the department [1:29:07] and is helping us on these policies. Unfortunately, we lost the lawsuit and we are now developing a new rule. [1:29:16] So that's where we are. I'm happy to go into details or have my staff meet with your staff and [1:29:23] I invite you to call me at any time. We will. One of the major issues that we face going forward is that [1:29:29] the rules in place that the insurance companies must do this, but if they are found to be in violation, [1:29:35] there is no penalty. It's like speeding without getting tickets. It's a real problem. And just for [1:29:42] the last few minutes, there's a major cut proposed in SAMHSA, that substance abuse and mental health, [1:29:48] literally almost a 40% cut. You know that, I know that is a backbone for so much that goes on. [1:29:56] I encourage you to restore that money. So this disease of addiction, mental health, [1:30:02] that people can get their help. With that, I yield back. I thank the gentlemen. Pursuant to the [1:30:09] previous order, the chair declares a committee in recess, subject to call of the chair. We'll plan [1:30:14] to reconvene promptly in five minutes. Thank you. The committee now stands in recess. [1:30:19] We'll continue on with questioning. I now recognize the gentleman from Utah, Mr. Owens. [1:39:06] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First of all, Mr. Secretary, thank you so much. You know, we watched for decades [1:39:14] as Americans have gotten sicker and sicker and our country and individuals going into this financial [1:39:20] ditch. I'm thankful that we're finally right in the ship. So keep up the good work and innovation. [1:39:26] Early this year, we saw how the child care and development block grant funding was [1:39:31] defrauded in Minnesota to enrich the bad actors, taking advantage of a broken system there. [1:39:36] In fact, the HHS audit report finalized last year made several recommendations for Minnesota to [1:39:41] improve their anti-fraud measures. To your knowledge, did Minnesota work to implement those [1:39:46] recommendations before the news broke, widespread fraud there? Microphone, please. Congressman, [1:39:59] let me just take a moment to say how delighted I am to see you and say a word about the Oakland [1:40:07] Raiders, which was your former team. During the 1968 campaign, my father's bodyguard for a lot of [1:40:14] that campaign were four members of the fearsome foursome of the championship Oakland Raiders team, [1:40:21] Rosie Greer, Merlin Olson, Deacon Jones, and Lamar Lundy. And the night that my father was killed, [1:40:31] Rosie Greer was the first person to grab Sir Hans, Sir Hans. So my family has always had a very, [1:40:38] very strong connection to your team. And I'm really grateful to see you here today. [1:40:44] Thank you. [1:40:45] You know, we went after both blue states and red states because there were fraud in both. [1:40:50] Florida had some of the biggest fraud in the country. Florida Attorney General and the Governor [1:40:56] cooperated with us, particularly in durable medical equipment, also in hospices and in child care and [1:41:03] home care. Minnesota is the opposite. They just absolutely refused to cooperate. And we asked them [1:41:13] to provide receipts. They had already paid the providers. And we now had to reimburse them for that [1:41:20] pay. But we said, give us the receipts to show us that people were actually tested. [1:41:25] And for that program, which is applied behavioral analytics, there are no qualifications. [1:41:33] So the only qualification is you need a high school education. And they were mainly members of the [1:41:39] person's family. And they would get a kid in the family, a diagnosis, or maybe several of them, [1:41:46] declared autistic by a crooked doctor, and then have family members and cousins and everything else [1:41:55] treating them. We have no evidence that there were any kids even treated for a lot of these. [1:42:02] And the people were being paid, these children were being paid $600 an hour. So they ran up these [1:42:10] huge bills, $300 million that disappeared. We don't know. We expected to spend $7 million. We [1:42:16] spent $300 million. And they refused to give us the receipts. And so what we've done is we've [1:42:23] impounded $359 million and said, when you show us the receipts for one quarter, this is just one [1:42:33] quarter, when you show us the receipts, we'll give you the money. Well, I'm looking forward to us. I think [1:42:40] it's great that our country is finally focused on that particular area. Our health data system [1:42:44] remains fragmented, archaic, and insecure across agencies and states. This creates real vulnerabilities [1:42:51] for foreign bad actors while crippling timely coordinated decision-making, especially in crisis. [1:42:57] Your budget request prioritizes modernization and interoperability. What specific structural [1:43:03] deficiencies in this funding design is this funding designed to address? And how will more integrated [1:43:09] data infrastructure deliver faster real-time coordination, stronger policy execution, and [1:43:14] better health outcomes for American people? Well, cybersecurity is an absolute priority for us. [1:43:21] And we've been able to bring in the best companies, the best contractors, and the best minds in Silicon [1:43:26] Valley to work on that issue. Telehealth, we are promoting in every part of our department, including the [1:43:34] Rural Health Transformation Fund, which can provide telehealth now to rural communities where it's [1:43:43] absolutely critical, because a lot of them don't have access to doctors. And it lowers the cost for [1:43:49] the community because a lot of people don't end up having to go to the hospital emergency room. Oh, it's [1:43:55] absolutely a critical part of our program. And we're going to see massive changes over the next three years. [1:44:03] Well, we, this committee has done a remarkable job of bringing innovation to modernization and [1:44:08] interactability from workforce to education. So I look forward to working with your team. We've done [1:44:13] some great things in that area, learning employment records, and I think it's going to be a win for [1:44:18] all their agencies across the board. So thank you so much. I'll yield back. [1:44:21] Thank you, gentlemen. I look forward to working with you. [1:44:23] I now recognize the gentlelady from Georgia, Ms. McBath. [1:44:28] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you, Secretary Kennedy, for being before us today. [1:44:32] You have characterized many things as epidemics and threats to public health, [1:44:37] including autism and the presence of fluoride in our drinking water. [1:44:41] Shootings are the number one cause of death for children in this country, and they have been since [1:44:46] 2020. But when you were asked if gun violence was a public health crisis during your Senate [1:44:52] confirmation hearing last year, you answered with a succinct no, which I would like to submit [1:44:59] digitally for the record. My son Jordan Davis was murdered in a shooting at just 17 years of age. [1:45:08] Simple answer, yes or no. Do you believe that gun violence is an epidemic or a public health crisis? [1:45:15] I would say it's an epidemic. I think it's a law enforcement issue and not public health. [1:45:22] I find it kind of absurd to hear you say that. I really do. [1:45:29] Do you think I should be regulating gangs at the HHS? [1:45:33] Secretary, it's my time. I think it's kind of absurd to hear you say that. So can you tell me [1:45:37] how many children were killed by fluoride toxicity in my home state of Georgia in 2024? [1:45:44] Fluoride toxicity? Probably none. [1:45:46] You're right. The answer is absolutely zero. So can you tell me how many children were killed by fluoride [1:45:53] across the country in 2024? Fluoride doesn't kill you. That's an absurd question. [1:45:57] Again, that answer is zero. So how about... Nobody would answer that as a question. [1:46:02] I'm reclaiming my time. How about by firearms? Can you tell me how many kids were killed in [1:46:08] shootings across the country in 2024? You can see right behind me. I can't read it. [1:46:15] 3,865. Over 10 a day. That's more than drownings, more than car accidents, more than cancer, [1:46:25] and certainly more than fluoride. It is far more than many of the things that you choose to focus [1:46:32] on in your time as secretary. I'm reclaiming my time, secretary. It's obvious that gun violence [1:46:38] is an epidemic, and it is both a public health crisis. I know it, and so do the thousands of parents [1:46:46] who are burying their kids in this country every single year. But what I don't know is how you can [1:46:52] expect the American people to take your opinion seriously when you try to tell them that they [1:46:57] don't need to worry about the leading cause of death for their kids. I never told them that. [1:47:03] I'm reclaiming my time. While you tour the country to talk about the supposed dangers of fluoride, [1:47:10] you should focus your efforts on things that are really killing our children in this country every [1:47:16] single day. We have limited time here, but I also want to ask you about your comments about people [1:47:22] with disabilities, especially about people with autism. Now, in your first press conference as [1:47:29] secretary in April of last year, you said, and I'm quoting, autism destroys families. That these are [1:47:35] kids who will never pay taxes, never hold a job, never play baseball, never write a poem, or go out [1:47:40] on a date. Many of them will never use a toilet unassisted, which I would also like to submit for [1:47:47] the record. The truth is, is that the majority are reclaiming my time. Can I respond to that without [1:47:52] objection? Thank you. Thank you. The truth is, is that the majority of people on the autism spectrum [1:47:58] can do all the things that you mentioned. Of course they can, and I never said they couldn't. [1:48:02] Some people with disabilities do need direct care to assist them with activities like going to the [1:48:08] bathroom, but that does not mean that they are somehow less than or unable to lead fulfilling [1:48:13] and productive lives. As you have implied, I'm reclaiming my time. I'm asking you here today, [1:48:19] secretary, to apologize for spreading lies about people with autism and their families. Will you [1:48:25] apologize for those remarks that you've made? Of course not. Then if you let me explain, I'm happy to. [1:48:33] I was talking about people with profound autism, not people who are, you know, who have lower impact [1:48:41] autism, but I'm talking about people who are non-verbal, non-toilet trained, head banging, [1:48:47] stimming, toe walking. Okay, then since you're... Hundreds and hundreds of people have written me [1:48:52] letters thanking me for those comments. Since you're explaining what you really meant, can you apologize to the [1:48:58] thousands of families that do not believe what you're just telling us now? No, no, because if you [1:49:03] look at my comments, it was clear who I was talking about. You refuse to apologize. I find that very, [1:49:06] very sad. I find that very, very sad. It should be very easy for you to apologize if that's not in fact [1:49:12] what you meant. Those are crocodile tears, congresswoman. I'm very, and for all the families that have [1:49:17] children with autism, I'm very sad to hear you say that because those families are dealing with the [1:49:24] kinds of conditions that many people just don't even understand. The president is trying to close [1:49:30] the Department of Education. If that happens, I'm reclaiming my time. The president is trying [1:49:37] to close the Department of Education. If that happens, services provided under the Individuals [1:49:42] with Disabilities Education Act, including Special Ed, may move under your jurisdiction. [1:49:48] This is unacceptable for so many reasons, but one of the most important reasons is this. No parent wants [1:49:56] their son or daughter's education to be in the hands of a man who openly admits that he does not [1:50:02] believe in their children, and I yield. The gentlelady's time has expired. I now recognize the gentlelady [1:50:08] from Illinois, Ms. Miller. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary, would you like to respond further? [1:50:14] I was very clear in my remarks that I was talking about people, about children who have profound autism. [1:50:22] Those children are as I described them. In fact, yesterday, a man, a Democrat, came up to me and [1:50:29] thanked me for what I said. I've had hundreds of people thank because these are hidden people. [1:50:34] They are silent. Parents are so consumed by caring for them, and they can't even get out and advocate. [1:50:42] They need a voice, and I've given them that voice, and thousands of people have thanked me for it. [1:50:48] Thank you, Mr. Secretary, and I'm so grateful for the work that you and President Trump are [1:50:53] doing to make America healthy again, and I just want to thank you for giving credibility to my [1:50:59] healthy diet. I like to eat sauerkraut for breakfast also. I don't like it, but I gag it down. [1:51:05] Well, we can learn to like it. Your department, Mr. Secretary, has implemented much-needed reforms [1:51:11] to programs like Head Start and the Child Care Development Block Grant to ensure federal dollars [1:51:16] are going to those who need it most, not to illegal aliens who are seeking to further defraud our [1:51:22] government. HHS has also upheld parental rights and biological sanity by rescinding a Biden regulation [1:51:32] that required foster parents to socially transition a confused child. Additionally, the department has [1:51:40] enforced President Trump's executive order that protects children from chemical and surgical mutilation, [1:51:47] ensuring that tax dollars are not used to fund puberty blockers or sex-rejecting procedures. [1:51:54] Mr. Secretary, thank you for following through on your pledge to make America healthy again [1:52:00] by improving school lunches and ensuring that harmful dyes and chemicals are removed from our foods. [1:52:06] I'm also pleased to see HHS accommodating religious and health exemptions and holding manufacturers [1:52:13] accountable for vaccine injuries and deaths. Furthermore, Mr. Secretary, you and President [1:52:20] Trump have done a lot of work to eliminate DEI at the Department of Health and Human Services [1:52:26] and instead hire employees based solely on merit. To make America great again, we need to make meritocracy [1:52:35] great again. I am hopeful that we can continue to collaborate on these efforts and codify these [1:52:41] important changes. Lastly, I want to address the abortion pill. We both consider it harmful to public [1:52:48] health. It's a drug that we both agree needs to be regulated. Not only does the abortion pill end the [1:52:57] life of an innocent unborn child, but it also endangers the life of the mother. Since the abortion drug [1:53:04] approval, Presidents Obama and Biden continued to whittle away safety requirements, putting women at [1:53:12] increased risk. In fact, at least 10 percent of women who take the pill experience sepsis, infection, [1:53:21] hemorrhaging, and other serious life-threatening events. Pro-abortion states are circumventing the [1:53:28] laws of pro-life states by mailing abortion drugs across state lines. Considering this, please, for [1:53:35] the sake of women, I hope that we can continue building on your work at HHS by releasing the study [1:53:43] on the abortion pill and reinstating the in-person dispensing requirements that were rescinded by the [1:53:49] Biden Administration, making it very dangerous for our women, for young women. Thank you again for your [1:53:56] time, Mr. Secretary, and I'd like to yield the remainder of my time to you to make any comments [1:54:01] that you have. Well, thank you very much, Congresswoman. I can't comment on Methodist Stone because [1:54:09] it's under litigation now. We've been advised by the Office of General Counsel that they don't want [1:54:14] me talking about it at all. But thank you for your concerns. I share President Trump's concern that [1:54:21] we can't be a moral nation with 2.1 million abortions every year, and that we, and that, you know, the [1:54:30] government has an obligation to protect women and babies. Yes, and when the government promotes it [1:54:39] and pays for it and lies to women, we know for a fact that at least 80 percent of women, when they have an [1:54:45] ultrasound, when they are given the information on the development of the child, when they are given [1:54:50] the support and information on how to access help, that they will choose life and not abortion. And I [1:54:59] don't know why this is the only medical procedure that I know of, that we withhold information from [1:55:05] the patient so that we can tip the scales to a certain choice. The left is not pro-choice. They are pro-abortion. [1:55:13] Thank you. General Lady's time has expired. I now recognize the General Lady from Michigan. Ms. Stevens. [1:55:19] Well, thank you, Mr. Chair, for holding this hearing. And Mr. Secretary, it is in fact true, I come from the [1:55:26] great state of Michigan. And as you enter your second year as our nation's Health and Human Services [1:55:33] Secretary, I just had a few things I wanted to tick through with you here today. So in early 2025, after your [1:55:41] confirmation, measles cases spiked in the United States to the highest level since 1991. Last year, [1:55:48] we had over 2,200 cases in America. Three people died. Two were children. Do I have that correct? [1:55:57] Because according to the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics, I do. During this same time, [1:56:03] that epidemic started before I came into office. During the same time, you questioned the effectiveness [1:56:07] of the measles vaccine. And then in September, your hand-picked vaccine panel voted against [1:56:12] recommending the combined measles vaccine for children under four. This is true? [1:56:17] It was dangerous. We know now that over 90% of measles cases in 2025 were among people who were [1:56:26] unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown. That's correct? According to the CDC, [1:56:32] Do you think we should have given a dangerous vaccine that all the science says? [1:56:35] In just the first three and a half months of 2026, the year we're in right now, [1:56:40] we've already seen an additional 1,700 measles cases. I assume you're aware of this, [1:56:45] according to the CDC. There's a global epidemic. You have also pushed vitamin A [1:56:50] as a treatment for measles. That is correct? Yeah, every major health organization in the world [1:56:55] recommends it. According to the America's poison centers, [1:56:57] vitamin A overexposure among children increased by nearly 40%. And in this time frame, [1:57:03] children in the hospitals with both measles and unsafe levels of vitamin A has occurred, correct? [1:57:10] I'm not recommending unsafe levels. I'm recommending what every major [1:57:14] international health organization recommends. The American poison centers agrees. You characterized [1:57:20] your response to one outbreak in Texas as a model for the rest of the world, even as the number of [1:57:27] measles cases climbed. As Secretary of Health and Human Services, have you ever taken steps to undermine [1:57:35] medical guidelines rooted in science? Because we can look at your records, sir. I serve on the science [1:57:41] committee. At the beginning of this year, the CDC tried to slash the childhood vaccine schedule [1:57:47] from 17 recommended vaccines to 11 before it was blocked by a judge. Hepatitis A, B, RSV. Multiple [1:57:56] vaccines were demoted. Do you dispute this charge, sir? Do you think that we should recommend [1:58:01] interventions that have not been saved? These vaccines have saved countless lives. A 2024 study [1:58:07] estimates that childhood vaccines have saved 1.1 million children's lives and prevented more than 500 [1:58:15] million illnesses in the last three decades. Doctors, researchers, and medical experts have spent years [1:58:23] working to not only understand illnesses but also prevent them. Your actions restricting these vaccines [1:58:32] have a grave impact on our country. And while you have waged war against established medical science, [1:58:39] you've also attacked life-saving research on cancer and Alzheimer's. You have implemented measures that [1:58:46] have raised costs, kicked families off their insurance, and made it harder to get coverage. You're [1:58:52] devastated rural hospitals. Look, to top it off, Mr. Secretary, I got a copy of HR 944. Do you know what it is? [1:59:00] It's your impeachment article, sir. You have abused your office, you have gutted America's public health, [1:59:08] and you have sacrificed our leadership in medical research and innovation. Americans today are less [1:59:16] safe under your watch. Children are dying of diseases that we thought we had eradicated. You can smirk, [1:59:25] sir. But I answer to the people of Michigan, and they have told me, you should be ashamed, you should [1:59:31] resign, and if you refuse, Congress should remove you from office. I yield back. [1:59:38] The gentlelady's time has expired. I now recognize the gentleman from Missouri, the good Dr. Under. [1:59:47] Uh, thank you, Mr. Secretary. Um, thank you for being here. I'm glad my colleague got her little [1:59:53] X clip there to, you know, hopefully it'll go viral for her like she intended. Secretary, thank you so much for [2:00:00] your, for your work on, on just so many areas, but one of the things I wanted to highlight today was [2:00:06] your work on prior authorization that was used too often to deny patients of the care they need. But I think [2:00:12] what we're seeing, I'm, I'm a practicing physician, practice very little now that I'm in Congress, but [2:00:18] now more and more we're seeing threats to patient access because insurance are allowing doctors to [2:00:25] give patients the care they need, but then denying payment for those, for those cares. And this isn't [2:00:31] the usual, you know, fight over us, over physicians getting reimbursed. An example from my own specialty, [2:00:36] I've been contacted by dozens of allergists, immunologists around the country that United Healthcare [2:00:43] is claiming to follow Medicare, dishonestly claiming to follow Medicare on allergy immunotherapy [2:00:49] reimbursement, allergy shots, and completely denying care for that very life-changing, [2:00:57] reimbursement for that very life-changing treatment. Given the market power of United Healthcare, [2:01:03] this will put this particular therapy out of business within, I would say six months to a year, [2:01:10] if UHC's policy continues, you know, for 45 million United Healthcare insured patients. So I think we [2:01:17] need to, we need to watch that. Not only the barriers to care upfront, but if insurers can arbitrarily use [2:01:24] their market power to, to, to deny reimbursement, that care will go away likewise. But, yeah. [2:01:32] Yeah, I mean, I have, I have children with anaphylactic allergies. [2:01:37] Yes. [2:01:38] And, um, some of them have benefited from these, uh, you know, these allergen. [2:01:45] Yes. [2:01:46] I have a son who literally lost his peanut allergy, which every doctor told him. [2:01:51] Yeah, that's oral immunotherapy. [2:01:52] It never happened. [2:01:53] Yes, that's oral immunotherapy, which is relatively new, and I don't think any insurer [2:01:57] actually reimburses for that. But, um, but, but, uh, but then, uh, aeroallergen immunotherapy, [2:02:04] pollen, mold, dust, and so on, uh, that used to treat asthma, uh, sinus disease, allergic diseases, [2:02:11] is, is, is mostly what they're, what United right now is. [2:02:15] Yeah, the, uh, is the first I've heard of it. [2:02:17] Yes. [2:02:17] So, and I have two guys who are sitting behind me, Chris Klump and Kenneth Callahan, [2:02:21] who'll be interested in helping you with this. [2:02:23] I appreciate. [2:02:24] Let's get them together with your staff. [2:02:26] I appreciate that, Mr. Secretary. [2:02:28] And I want to commend you, and my colleague, uh, uh, Representative Miller highlighted this, [2:02:33] your work to protect kids from mutilating transgender procedures. Of course, I think [2:02:39] most impactful, immediately impactful, was the denial of Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement [2:02:45] to hospitals who insist on mutilating kids, despite the science, including the recent [2:02:50] Finnish, Finland study. Um, but one thing that, [2:02:54] one thing that really just monumental development, I think, is the executive order [2:03:00] that President Trump transmitted, uh, last January. It had a number of components, including directing [2:03:07] the HHS study that you, that, um, that, that, that came out later last year, but also directed the [2:03:14] Department of Justice to work on a bill to create strict liability for those healthcare providers who would [2:03:23] exploit our kids with mutilating transgender procedures. Um, I am honored to be carrying [2:03:28] that bill in the House. It's the Chloe Cole Act Senator Blackburn is carrying in the Senate. [2:03:33] Uh, I believe that strict liability, the ability of parents and children, young adults, to hold those [2:03:40] who exploited them with mutilating procedures accountable, just as we saw the AMA and the plastic surgeons [2:03:49] change their position on mutilating procedures, uh, after the big, uh, verdict in New York. Um, [2:03:57] do you think it's time that we'd be able to hold, hold those who harm our children in this way strictly accountable? [2:04:03] It makes a lot of sense to me. There's no, I mean, the science is so clear that this is a [2:04:10] harmful procedure with, uh, with very few, little evidence of any benefits. Um, we'll work with you on that. [2:04:18] No, I, I appreciate that. And you know, the one talking point that these transgender doctors, [2:04:25] I have a hard time even calling them doctors, but, uh, these quacks, uh, say is this is going to [2:04:31] improve kids' mental health, prevent suicide. Well, there's no evidence. There's no evidence of [2:04:36] that. And the Finland study showed that, that girls who are gender confused, who undergo these [2:04:41] procedures, their serious mental health issues double and boys, they go up six fold. So I think [2:04:48] there's never been a good evidence. And now there's abundant evidence that we're doing more mental [2:04:52] health harm than good. I thank the gentleman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Doctor. This time has expired. [2:04:57] I now recognize the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Kassar. Good morning. [2:05:02] Secretary Kennedy. I have a few questions about who you're meeting with and talking to as you make [2:05:09] this nation's healthcare policy and health policy. According to reports, you and President Donald [2:05:17] Trump met with the CEO, CEOs of Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Pharma and others at Mar-a-Lago. Is that correct? [2:05:24] Yes. And you've also met with the CEOs of Pepsi and Tyson and Kellogg's. Is that correct, Mr. Secretary? [2:05:32] We met with people on both sides of the issue. Yes. Of course. We're going to meet with industry. [2:05:39] Yeah. And the CEO of Starbucks as well. Is that correct? Yeah. Thank you. Do you know how many [2:05:45] billionaires you've met with in your time in office so far? I would have no idea. Well, at least at a [2:05:51] cabinet meeting, there's, of course, Donald Trump, Mr. Lutnick, Ms. McMahon, Mr. Musk. So at least four or [2:05:59] five. So we've established here you've met with a good number of CEOs, some billionaires. I hear you've [2:06:05] even met with Kid Rock. So here's my question. The Trump policy that passed through the Congress [2:06:13] was to give some of these ultra wealthy people a tax cut. And part of paying for it, [2:06:19] the big, ugly bill gives the ultra wealthy a massive tax cut. It's well documented. But part of [2:06:27] what pays for it is kicking 15 million Americans off of their affordable health care and your secretary [2:06:33] of health. So here's my question. You've met with the CEOs. You've met with some billionaires. How many [2:06:40] people have you met with? How many Americans have you met with that have lost or about to lose their [2:06:46] health insurance? Well, I have, I've met with the advocacy community on virtually everything that we [2:06:54] regulate. I've met with more tribes and tribal leaders than any HHS secretary in history. And I'm [2:07:02] grateful for your meeting with tribes and advocacy organizations. But have you met with everyday [2:07:07] Americans who have lost their health insurance just this last year? I've met with every, I meet with [2:07:14] everyday Americans every day. And have you had conversations with those Americans who will [2:07:19] lose their health insurance this coming year or next year because of the cuts to Medicaid? Have you [2:07:24] met with people who have lost their health insurance? First of all, there are no cuts in Medicaid. [2:07:28] There are no cuts in Medicaid. Look at the CBO report from this week. We are increasing Medicaid spending [2:07:34] by 47 percent over the next 10 years. So over a trillion dollars comes out over the next 10 years. [2:07:40] Report after report says 15 million people could lose their health insurance. How is that a cut? [2:07:47] Okay, let's talk about that. That is only a cut in Washington, D.C. Have you met with, again, [2:07:52] have you met with any of the 1.4 million people who have lost their health insurance just this last year [2:07:59] from dropping off of Obamacare? Have you sat down and talked to those folks about the fact they won't [2:08:04] have their health insurance again? They're almost all illegal immigrants. Oh, well, you know what? It sounds like, [2:08:11] you haven't met with folks like Portia in my district. We found 1.5 million illegal immigrants [2:08:16] who will be collecting Medicaid. No, no, no. Mr. Secretary, there are people like Portia in Buda, [2:08:21] Texas, whose health insurance costs went from $100 a month to $500 a month. People like my [2:08:26] constituent Shauna in San Marcos, Texas, her premium went from $250 to $750 a month. Now, $500 a month [2:08:33] may not be a lot to you or to some of the billionaires that y'all are talking to, [2:08:38] but for these moms with kids, they've lost their health insurance this last year. [2:08:41] So have you had a conversation with how many people have you sat down with that have said, [2:08:46] Mr. Secretary, I lost my health insurance this last year. What are we going to do about it? [2:08:50] Eighty-seven percent of the people who are on Obamacare are paying less than $96 a month. [2:08:58] Fifty-four percent of the people who are on Obamacare today are paying less than $50 a month. [2:09:04] Well and good for you, [2:09:05] us to talk about Obamacare, Obamacare policy. The question is, [2:09:09] Democrats had three chances to make... [2:09:12] We can talk all we want about the past. [2:09:15] Tax credits. [2:09:16] We can talk about... [2:09:16] Why didn't you do it? [2:09:17] We can talk about the past. [2:09:18] Why didn't you do it when you had the power to do it? [2:09:20] Mr. Secretary, just like you, I'm new here. I'm responsible for what's happening right here and [2:09:25] now. [2:09:25] You can yell at your colleagues. [2:09:26] My question, Mr. Secretary, is have you met with anybody that's lost their health insurance? [2:09:31] And it sounds like the answer is zero. So my question was, you've had time to meet with [2:09:37] the billionaires. I know it's a lot of fun to meet with Kid Rock. [2:09:39] True, I have met with people who have lost their health insurance because of the policy [2:09:44] from this last year. [2:09:45] Yeah, people who've come up to me and said that they've lost their health insurance and [2:09:49] I talked to them. [2:09:50] And what have you said to them? How can you explain to them how, as you're trying to make [2:09:55] America healthy, that they now can't see a doctor anymore because of the policy? [2:09:58] I try to point them to other options. President Trump is trying... [2:10:02] So when somebody's health insurance cost goes up $500 a month because of Donald Trump's policy, [2:10:09] I don't see how you could honestly tell them how you're going to make this better for them. [2:10:13] Listen, it is the democratic policy to benefit billionaires. [2:10:18] Healthy insurance companies, stocks raised by a thousand percent after Obamacare was passed. [2:10:25] Money was not going to Americans. It was going to them and it was you who did it. [2:10:30] The gentleman's time has expired. We need to move on. [2:10:33] Chairman, it just sounds like he's met with nobody and been able to explain to them [2:10:38] why it's okay that this policy kicks them off their health care. [2:10:41] I now recognize the gentleman from North Carolina, Mr. Harris. [2:10:44] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And Secretary Kennedy, thank you so much for being here today. [2:10:49] I know that my Republican colleagues and I have admired your work on making America healthy again [2:10:56] and really cutting down on the waste, fraud, and abuse in many of our government programs. [2:11:02] Since President Trump was sworn into office on January 20th, his entire administration, [2:11:07] as you know, has worked diligently toward the goal of improving our federal government's efficiency. [2:11:13] I happen to serve on the Subcommittee for Higher Education and Workforce Development, [2:11:17] and a strategy that the administration has used to improve efficiency and interagency agreements [2:11:24] are of great interest to me. Between the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human [2:11:29] Services, I believe three IAAs titled the Education Department of Health and Human Services Foreign [2:11:36] Medical Accreditation Agreement, the Child Care Access Means Parents and School Agreement, [2:11:43] and the Family Engagement and School Support Agreement have been implemented between the Department [2:11:49] of Education and Health and Human Services. My first question to you is how has that transition [2:11:56] gone of moving education programs like CCAMPUS and NCFMEA from the Department of Education to Health [2:12:04] and Human Services, in your opinion? Well, so far I have not heard of any bumps. [2:12:10] I, you know, I can't tell you all the details of the move, but I have not, I will hear it if there's a problem. [2:12:18] Right. I understand that. So when discussions regarding the IAAs began, were there some specific [2:12:26] benefits or things that you saw that Health and Human Services could actually bring to these [2:12:33] Education Department programs? I know you mentioned earlier some of them just belonged or fit better [2:12:38] in Health and Human Services. What are some benefits you think maybe we've been able to see? [2:12:43] Well, in terms of, you know, the foreign policy issues, CDC, we're in 64 countries around the world. [2:12:51] We have one of CDC's major portfolio items is foreign policy. And, and so international relations is what we [2:13:04] do. And that fits perfectly with what we're doing. The other functions are mainly health care functions. [2:13:11] They're related to public health and disabilities and special education. And those are, those fit perfectly, [2:13:20] align perfectly with what we're already doing. And what we think we probably can do better than the [2:13:25] Department of Education. Right. Well, with those three interaction agencies, [2:13:31] or interagency actions in place, are there plans for HHS to enter other IAAs, either with the Department [2:13:38] of Education or other agencies that maybe as this efficiency effort is being made, that you can see [2:13:46] coming in the future that will help improve government efficiency? Yes, there are. And we are talking [2:13:51] to other agencies about that now. Okay. It's not something that I would be prepared to go into details. [2:13:57] I understand. Completely understand. I also want to switch gears real quickly. I've been encouraged to [2:14:03] see the administration working to restore common sense policies across all agencies. And it's already [2:14:08] been touched on by several of my colleagues here today of those, one of those policies is prohibiting [2:14:14] the transgender medical interventions on children. It was also referenced a little earlier today, [2:14:20] the executive order. And the executive order from January 28 states, it's the policy of the United [2:14:26] States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called transition of a child [2:14:34] from one sex to another. And it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive [2:14:41] and life-altering procedures." End quote. Now, some reports that I've seen have shown that many hospitals and [2:14:49] health systems have actually temporarily or indefinitely rolled back the transgender surgery [2:14:54] and treatment for minors and some young adults because of these executive orders. Just quickly [2:15:00] asking from your perspective, does that match these reports I've seen to the general trend that you're [2:15:06] seeing as a secretary of health? We're seeing that trend across the board and particularly with the [2:15:11] suspension of Medicaid and Medicare funding for the hospitals that host these procedures. I think [2:15:18] that's going to have a universal impact. Well, I want to join my other colleagues that have mentioned it [2:15:24] in thanking you for your role as secretary of health and human services to take action to end chemical and [2:15:31] surgical mutilation of children. And I'm very grateful for your service. And with that, Mr. Chairman, [2:15:36] I'll yield back. I thank the gentleman. His time hasn't expired. And I recognize a gentle lady from [2:15:44] Pennsylvania, Ms. Lee. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So this is Black Maternal Health Week, so I'll just [2:15:50] start there. Secretary Kennedy, I'm sure you're aware that black women are at least three times more [2:15:55] likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. The vast majority of those deaths are [2:16:01] preventable. Black women in my district are more likely to die during pregnancy than their peers in 97 [2:16:06] percent of U.S. cities. Your written testimony mentions maternal and child health four times. [2:16:12] But from what I've seen, the NIH canceled grants researching black maternal health. [2:16:19] Your administration's fiscal year 27 budget proposes eliminating Healthy Start, which is one of the [2:16:24] federal government's primary community-based maternal health programs. And you've made it a priority of [2:16:29] HHS to end diversity, equity, and inclusion. So yes or no, my question for you is if a medical school [2:16:36] or public health school educates students about addressing the black maternal mortality crisis, [2:16:41] would you consider that an illegal DEI? No. No, you would not? No. Great. I do hope for the medical [2:16:50] schools, the universities, and the accreditors, your administration has been threatening that they're [2:16:56] watching this and take this directive to continue teaching about and addressing the black maternal mortality [2:17:02] crisis. And I expect your agency to restore and expand funding and support for that work. Also, yes or no, [2:17:09] do you think consuming more protein and avoiding Tylenol will prevent black women from dying three times [2:17:14] more likely during a pregnancy? I doubt it. Tylenol doesn't kill you. So then why are you putting [2:17:24] forth, why aren't you putting forth serious policies that actually address the health crises, [2:17:29] crises in this country instead of just these unserious conspiracy theories and this wellness influencer [2:17:36] mess that we... Do you want me to answer that question or are you just talking to me? No, it's a question. [2:17:40] We are doing more on maternal health than any other administration. No, I said black maternal health. [2:17:46] On maternal health. Black maternal health. That includes blacks and whites. But the thing is, [2:17:52] is that they're actually not the same outcomes, which means that we need specific and intentional [2:17:56] interventions for black maternal health and black... Can I finish? I'm sorry. Are you going to answer [2:18:02] that? We have a right now, we've implemented a perinatal pilot project that we're in 220 hospitals [2:18:13] around the country. And we have reduced maternal health mortalities by 42% of those hospitals by [2:18:20] providing them protocols. Can you please share what the reduction has been for black maternal health? Across the [2:18:25] board, it's 42%. But black maternal health still has worse outcomes than other people. I wouldn't know. [2:18:32] It helps everybody. But it isn't. Do you object to that? Okay, thank you. It is not. I do want to just [2:18:38] for the record state that. It does not help everyone. Your agency told programs to remove a list of nearly [2:18:43] 200 words and phrases from their funding applications, including the word black. Do you have an idea of how we [2:18:50] could solve the black maternal mortality crisis if we can't say black? President Trump is trying to [2:18:55] end eviction in this country. Not so eviction. Sorry, not eviction. During the last four years. [2:19:01] That's what DEI did. It divided people. It polarized people. No, no, no, no, no. We're not talking about [2:19:06] eviction. We're talking about healthcare. I'm calling about DEI. We're talking about healthcare. [2:19:09] Yeah. Prosperities. What we're asking is if you attack DEI and then we have a crisis that impacts [2:19:17] one population over another, but you cannot direct specific spending or research or interventions [2:19:25] to that population, how do you solve the problem? Do you think the federal government should be paying [2:19:30] for DEI? I think the federal government has a vested interest in ensuring that its citizens survive [2:19:35] childbirth. Well, we are meeting that obligation. We are not. I can explain to you how we are. You [2:19:44] have not done so, so far. But also I would say that, you know, we can improve healthcare for everybody [2:19:49] at the same time as helping the people who are most likely to die. That's what DEI and I, well, [2:19:56] first of all, DEI and I make sure that we have black doctors or women doctors. We're talking about the [2:20:02] fact that we have a mortality rate that is not matched by any other country as what we would [2:20:08] call developed as ours. Really quickly, in yesterday's Ways and Means Committee hearing, [2:20:11] you denied saying that every black kid is now just a standard put on Adderall, SSRIs, benzos, [2:20:17] which are known to induce violence, and those kids are going to have a chance to go somewhere else and [2:20:20] get reparented. Why did you deny saying this? Why did I deny payment? No, why did you deny that you said [2:20:27] that every black kid is now just standard put on Adderall, SSRIs, benzos, which are known as to [2:20:33] induce violence, and that you would re-home them? Well, it's largely true that black kids, because [2:20:39] it's easier to handle people, and a lot of the public schools... And you're going to re-home them? [2:20:46] No, I never said that we should re-home them. We're illegal drugs. Oh, psychiatric... [2:20:51] Gentle lady's time has expired. Okay, I just wanted to know if that was him for the record. Thank you. [2:20:57] I thank the gentlelady. I go back. I recognize the gentleman from California, Mr. Kiley. [2:21:02] Thank you, Mr. Chair. Morning, Mr. Secretary. I just wanted to first start by echoing part of [2:21:07] what my colleague from Texas said about the expiration of the ACA subsidies. This was, [2:21:11] this is a serious issue for a lot of people in this country right now who have seen escalating, [2:21:16] an escalating increase in their premium payments. I will say I think it represented a failure on both [2:21:21] sides to come together and find a solution. I had a bipartisan bill, there were a couple of others on this [2:21:26] issue, but partisan politics got in the way, and now people are having to pay a lot more, [2:21:31] and things have become even more unaffordable. So, I do hope that we can still, even at this late [2:21:37] hour, find a way to solve this problem and make people whole. But what I actually want to talk [2:21:42] to you about today is the new food pyramid, which, you know, I think is one of the most important [2:21:48] documents our government has issued in a long time. And there's a website to go along with it, [2:21:52] realfood.gov. That is, I think, the most user-friendly government website I've ever seen. [2:21:57] I'd highly recommend people check it out, realfood.gov. And regardless of what anyone thinks [2:22:03] about you, Mr. Secretary, about the President, or about me, or anyone on this committee, I would [2:22:07] hope that this is something that we can all come together around. Because some of the statistics you've [2:22:12] already cited and that are in your supporting documents here are truly jarring. You know, 70 plus percent [2:22:18] of adults in the U.S. being overweight way more than any other developed country. A third of [2:22:23] adolescents have pre-diabetes. As a result, we have lower life expectancy, maybe two and a half [2:22:28] years of reduced life expectancy because of these issues. Chronic disease consumes, as you mentioned, [2:22:33] 90 percent of our overall spending. So, you've addressed some of this already, but can you just [2:22:37] explain briefly, you know, how it is that our food supply in the U.S. is linked to all of these problems? [2:22:44] Yeah, I mean, there are a confluence of different forces, but I think probably the most potent driver [2:22:57] was the GRAS standards. GRAS is a loophole known as generally recognized as safe. And it was put into [2:23:06] the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 1948 to allow companies to include ingredients that were traditional, [2:23:16] like vinegar and salts and wheat and these kind of things, but it was hijacked by the food industry [2:23:24] so that they're now using it to put any chemical that they make in a lab without even informing us [2:23:30] what it is. We now have 10,000 ingredients in our food and we have no idea about the safety of almost [2:23:38] any of them. The Europeans don't have this and they have only 400 ingredients in their food. [2:23:45] So, that explains why Americans partially, why Americans are so sick. And then the other thing [2:23:53] was the food pyramid itself was the creation of corruption. The people who were writing it were [2:24:04] captured by lobbyists, certain companies that were trying to promote margarines and [2:24:11] um, and ultra processed foods and to get rid of protein. And that's what they did. They gave a, [2:24:20] they did false studies that were fraudulent that said that protein caused heart attacks. There's [2:24:25] zero evidence of that. They took protein off. And as a result today, 70% of the calories that Americans [2:24:34] eat are ultra processed food. And it's just poison. So that's why you've inverted this in the sort of [2:24:39] overarching principle, as it suggests, is to eat real foods. And then you have, you know, [2:24:44] various guidelines that people can check out. Eat the amount that's right for you. Prioritize [2:24:48] proteins. Consume dairy. Eat vegetables and fruits throughout the day. Incorporate healthy fats. [2:24:53] Focus on whole grains. Limit highly processed foods. Specially added sugar. Notice the yogurt here is [2:24:58] unsweetened. Uh, so, uh, the question is then how do we actually, you know, cause this to compel change [2:25:05] across the country? Uh, and that's a very, you know, uh, challenging task. But we do have a pretty [2:25:11] good, maybe, uh, precedent for this when it comes to, uh, cigarette use. You know, we've seen a reduction [2:25:17] of maybe four out of every ten adults smoking in the sixties to one out of every ten, uh, adults now. [2:25:22] So, is there, are there any lessons to be learned here? And what do you think the keys are to actually [2:25:28] compelling adoption of these habits and practices, changes in institutions in a way that will actually [2:25:33] reverse these long time. I mean, we don't want to use compulsion. Americans should always have choice. [2:25:38] If you want to eat a Krispy Kreme donut, you should be able to do it. Sure. Um, but we have the power of [2:25:45] the subsidy program, $405 million a day from USDA to WICs, Head Start, school lunches, um, uh, Indian tribal [2:25:55] services. And we are using those to drive changes in the dietary culture. So, for example, I'll just give [2:26:01] you one example. Brooke Rollins is required that every retailer that gives out, that accepts food [2:26:10] stamps has to double the amount of real food in their facility. And that's just one example, [2:26:16] but there are many, many, many. We're changing food in the military. We're changing hospital food. [2:26:22] We're doing this across the board to drive these changes and create a revolution in food culture in [2:26:28] this country. That's fantastic. And yeah, the more we can do that to encourage, uh, this, uh, pyramid to [2:26:34] become, uh, more widely known and, and practice, I think it'll benefit our country enormously. So, [2:26:39] the gentleman's time has expired, even though I'm grateful here about Krispy Kreme donuts. [2:26:45] Now I recognize the gentleman from New York, Mr. Mannion. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, thank you, [2:26:50] Mr. Secretary for your testimony today. Earlier in this hearing, uh, Representative Takano had, uh, [2:26:57] referenced truth social posts from the president. And I believe I heard your response to be that he [2:27:03] was the most sane president. Do you care to comment any further? Or is that your question? [2:27:09] If you look at that truth social post, I was pointing out the last line of it says, [2:27:14] God bless the Iranian people. So it was clear that he was sending a nuanced message. He was sending a [2:27:20] message of brute force and violence to the mullahs to incentivize them to change, but also sending [2:27:29] a message of love and compassion to the Iranian people. So you can look at it and say, oh, it's [2:27:34] insane that he'd make this kind of threat. But he's a deal maker. He's a bargainer. Thank you, [2:27:40] Mr. Secretary. I appreciate that. More sane than your uncle? He's very, very sane. So I grew up in a [2:27:50] place called Tipperary Hill. He's more sane than Uncle Joe. Uncle Joe Biden. Your uncle, your father [2:27:58] were heroes to the Irish Catholic community. Your uncle, a Purple Heart recipient, a World War II [2:28:06] veteran and Naval commander, a hero, a member of the House of Representatives and the United States [2:28:11] Senate, and a president whose term ended in assassination and is widely regarded as someone [2:28:19] who navigated our country through possibly the most challenging time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. [2:28:27] There were two pictures that hung in the homes of Irish Catholics in my neighborhood. Separate [2:28:33] pictures. One of your uncle, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and the other of the baby Jesus, [2:28:41] the light of the world. Two separate pictures. So I thank you for being here today. I have various [2:28:48] concerns about the direction of HHS under your leadership, but today I'd like to focus on some [2:28:53] particularly harmful attacks made on the disability community. Your actions and statements, Mr. Secretary, [2:29:00] have contributed to real fears, anxieties and consequences for millions of families. I know [2:29:06] some of my colleagues have raised these with you as well, but I want to again point out some of the [2:29:11] statements that I think reveal a bias and a credibility issue. You previously said that people with [2:29:19] autism, and again, I acknowledge your statements previously in this hearing that these are the [2:29:25] most profoundly autistic individuals, but the impact it has on families and statements that they will [2:29:30] never hold a job, never play baseball, never write a poem, never go out on a date, or never use a toilet [2:29:35] unassisted. Those are incredibly impactful. Additional statements that they, uh, individuals with autism and [2:29:43] the epidemic that exists is catastrophic to our country and destroys families. As these words weren't [2:29:49] insulting enough, you've also insinuated and insulted the intelligence of American people by linking [2:29:57] autism to vaccines, Tylenol, and circumcision. Mr. Kennedy, not long ago, any of these claims would [2:30:03] have been disqualifying for someone in your position, especially given a lack of scientific or medical [2:30:09] training on your part. These would have prompted, uh, dismissal, and we would have dismissed these [2:30:14] statements as ridiculous and unverified theories, but in this administration, falsehoods are routinely [2:30:21] given a platform and are perpetuated. Incompetence is also often rewarded, as is loyalty, and there's [2:30:29] very rarely accountability for statements such as this. Mr. Secretary, as a science teacher at a college [2:30:36] level for almost 30 years and the former chairman of the Disabilities Committee in the New York State [2:30:40] Senate, I have worked intensively with individuals with disabilities and their families, understanding [2:30:46] their concerns, so that experience goes back a long time. And as a country, we have made massive [2:30:52] strides in improving disability policy. But now, under your watch, we're moving in the wrong direction. [2:30:58] A $1 trillion cut to Medicaid that you have let happen and have tried to downplay is dismantling [2:31:05] many important programs, including the Administration for Community Living at HHS, which oversees programs [2:31:12] supporting senior and individuals with disabilities. And now, you and Secretary McMahon seem to be working [2:31:19] behind closed doors to dismantle the Department of Education and expand HHS's role in key educational [2:31:26] programs. Unlike you, career public servants at the Department of Education have worked for decades to [2:31:32] develop expertise, expand educational opportunity, and protect the rights of students with disabilities. [2:31:40] I cannot believe that we are talking about shifting critical programs that are enshrined into law and [2:31:47] into the Department of Education over to HHS. In lieu of going over on my comments, I will end my time here. [2:31:57] Thank you, Mr. Chair. The gentleman's time has expired. He yields back. I now recognize the gentleman from [2:32:03] Pennsylvania and the champion of whole milk, Mr. Thompson. [2:32:08] Thank you, Chairman. Mr. Secretary, good to see you again. [2:32:11] You too. [2:32:12] I always appreciate the opportunities to be able to work with you and your leadership and your team [2:32:18] that you put together. My first question really is, it's about the Community Services Block Grant Program. [2:32:26] That's a program I feel, I'm just very passionate about that program. It's the original anti-poverty program, [2:32:34] and it really doesn't matter what the source that led somebody into poverty, and it really helps [2:32:40] provide a pathway out of poverty, which is, I think, this is what we want for folks, right? To be able to [2:32:45] realize the American dream. And it's certainly an important program in my state of Pennsylvania, [2:32:52] helping low-income individuals and families get on a path to financial independence. And currently, [2:32:56] over $13.5 million in the fiscal year 26, congressionally allocated funds to my state are [2:33:04] being held up at OMB. And Secretary Kenney, I'm just seeking your assistance in working at [2:33:13] committing to help immediately release the five months' worth of CSBG funds currently stalled at OMB. [2:33:20] We need them to get those funds out into those communities. So, you know, [2:33:26] helping to lift people out of poverty, providing them a pathway forward. [2:33:30] Thank you for that comment, Congressman. We're working as hard as we can to get that money out the door. [2:33:36] No, I appreciate that. And anything I can help with on that, I'm all in. I seem very effective. [2:33:43] We're actually working to reauthorize Community Services Block Grant Program, and [2:33:47] you know, reauthorization is important, you know, making sure it's currently. On the question of [2:33:55] Krispy Kreme donuts, I'd have to say only with a glass of whole milk. That would be the best combination. [2:34:04] Now, I've worked for over a decade to restore whole milk in our schools, cafeterias, and was honored that [2:34:12] my legislation, Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, was signed into law by President Trump in January, [2:34:18] allowing schools the flexibility to offer flavored, non-flavored whole, and two percent milk. [2:34:23] Just common sense. Really, common sense to science. Secretary Kennedy, I was pleased that the dietary [2:34:30] guidelines for Americans that were released earlier this year recommended whole, full-fat milk. [2:34:35] Um, question for you. How would including whole milk and school meal programs improve nutritional [2:34:42] outcomes for children? It's absolutely critical. It's criminal that we took it out of the schools [2:34:49] for two generations. We had two generations of kids who were not growing up with the best [2:34:55] access to the finest source of micronutrients that build their brains, build their body, build their bones. [2:35:02] Now, putting it back in the schools, you know, the, some of the schools are having trouble because, [2:35:09] um, they have contracts with vendors that don't include it, but they are, we, we're working with [2:35:16] them to make sure that they all are serving whole milk, and the kids love it. Kids are drinking it, [2:35:22] because it does, it tastes better. And, you know, people's bodies crave fats, and you have healthy fats [2:35:31] in whole milk that you can't get anywhere else. And it tastes better than, you know, two percent or [2:35:37] skim milk. Kids love it much more. And it's, uh, it's just, it's crazy that we deprived all of those [2:35:45] generations of kids on this critical food source. Yeah, absolutely. I know that your colleague, [2:35:52] and a good friend of mine, Secretary Brooke Rollins, is, uh, uh, preparing, um, I, I anticipate, [2:36:00] hopefully in the next couple weeks to see published in a congressional record just clarity that, uh, [2:36:05] this, uh, will apply not just to school lunches, but for, um, breakfast and, quite frankly, any time [2:36:11] that meals are served within the school system. Any thoughts on what steps that can we take to help [2:36:17] schools successfully transition to offering whole milk? The biggest, uh, help we need, the biggest [2:36:25] impediment to getting good food into the schools is that a lot of the schools have abandoned their kitchens. [2:36:30] Oh, you know, when I was a kid, every school had a kitchen. And that's not true today. And, um, you know, [2:36:39] we need to be able to help them, uh, build kitchens and to get, you know, to purchase cutlery and to purchase [2:36:49] cutting boards and all the things they need to actually be making good food there. What we're finding is that the food, [2:36:56] that good food is actually in many cases cheaper than the processed and ultra processed foods that [2:37:04] they were getting is much cheaper than fast food. In fact, our program in the military, we were shifting, [2:37:11] heat access is shifting the military on the terrible appalling food that they had that only a third of the [2:37:18] troops were eating. And we were paying $18.50 a day. We're now on five bases about to go into 20 bases [2:37:26] with good, rich, whole food, a lot of it locally sourced. And we're feeding them about $10 a day. [2:37:33] So it's, you know, good food is not more expensive as long as you're cooking it at home. [2:37:39] The gentleman's time has expired. [2:37:41] Thank you, Mr. Secretary. [2:37:42] While we'd like to talk more about Krispy Kreme and chocolate whole milk, uh, we're going to move now [2:37:48] to the gentlelady from Connecticut, uh, Mrs. Hayes. [2:37:50] Thank you. Good afternoon. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teenagers [2:37:58] in the United States. Pediatricians, trauma surgeons, emergency physicians, and public health experts [2:38:05] have repeatedly described firearm injury as a public health emergency. As my colleague stated, [2:38:11] when you were asked during your confirmation hearing if you believe firearm violence was a [2:38:16] public health crisis, you answered with one word, no. You went on to say, you believe that HHS can [2:38:23] explore solutions for the behavioral health and substance abuse epidemic without compromising sacred [2:38:29] rights and freedom. According to Ed Week, which may, which measures school shootings at K-12 schools [2:38:35] resulting in injury or death, there have been 26 school shootings since you were sworn in. According [2:38:40] to the Gun Violence Archive, which measures any gun discharge on school grounds, there have been [2:38:45] 240 incidents since you were sworn in. In 2026, we have seen school shootings in Rockland, Maryland, [2:38:54] Detroit, Michigan, Crandall, Texas, Boulevard, Texas, Ferguson, Missouri, Oklahoma, Bethesda, Maryland. [2:39:01] As you stated, I understand that you don't have full jurisdiction over the law enforcement side, [2:39:10] the DOJ, the FBI. And since this committee has refused to respond to my request for a hearing on [2:39:18] school shootings, I want to ask you about the things you do have direct jurisdiction over. HHS holds [2:39:24] jurisdiction over public health aspects focusing on mental health services, trauma support for survivors, [2:39:30] data collection and data collection to prevent gun violence. Since under your tenure, we've seen threats [2:39:36] of cuts to SAMHSA, cuts to school-based mental health programs, cuts to the CDC staffers who work on [2:39:43] research and prevention, cuts to bipartisan community violence prevention programs. They've been [2:39:49] terminated. So, Mr. Secretary, since you were sworn in and now have full visibility of the harm of gun [2:39:56] violence to children, has your position changed? Do you believe gun violence is a public health crisis? [2:40:01] I believe it's a public health crisis, but it's not. We don't have jurisdiction to... [2:40:08] The things you do have jurisdiction over. [2:40:11] And we're doing those. We're doing more studies on the etiology and cause of gun violence, the first [2:40:19] that have ever been done in years. Sir, I have to stop you. I only have five minutes and I apologize. [2:40:26] You asked the question, so I answered it. Well, I want to know specifically why the [2:40:30] research and the funding has been cut for these programs that address trauma, that address student [2:40:36] survivors, that address school-based mental health programs for students who are affected by gun [2:40:41] violence. You're putting out all of these programs, all of these studies about keeping kids healthy. [2:40:46] Keeping kids alive is part of keeping them healthy. And we're trying to do that by doing the studies to [2:40:52] understand why people commit mass shootings. But you've also cut funding. That has not been done before. [2:40:58] You've also cut funding. Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to exercise some restraint. You're a Kennedy. [2:41:05] You know how oversight hearings work. And we don't want the second graders to think that your [2:41:10] interruptions are rude, disrespectful, or impatient. So I'm going to have to ask you to just allow me to [2:41:16] finish my questions. In my home state of Connecticut, where I was a school teacher, in the classroom on the [2:41:22] day 20 children were slaughtered and six educators. We worked really hard to see firsthand how to invest [2:41:30] in our communities and provide prevention. Connecticut has created some of the strongest [2:41:35] school-based violence prevention systems in the country through multi-disciplinary threat assessment [2:41:40] teams, early intervention programs, and partnerships that help schools identify concerning behavior. [2:41:45] I put forth a bill, the School Violence Prevention Act, to begin to collect data to see how we can have [2:41:53] federal programs to address these traumatic outcomes for kids. Many of the things that we fought for [2:42:03] in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act have been cut. So I have to ask you, what have you done to address [2:42:10] the health of children? You point out so many other things about the food they eat, all these other [2:42:20] things. What have you done to keep kids safe from gun violence outside of commissioning a study? [2:42:26] As I said, we have no one law enforcement. Congress has not given us law enforcement. [2:42:32] I'm not asking you about law enforcement, sir. [2:42:35] What we do is we study issues and we study problems and we're doing that with gun violence, [2:42:41] which has not been done before. Specifically a study that you've commissioned? [2:42:45] We did it. We've done, I think it's almost near completion. We did a study on school shootings [2:42:54] to look at what the shooters have in common, what medications they may have been receiving, [2:43:00] whether they were on SSRIs, whether they were on benzos, and we're expanding that now [2:43:06] across the agency to do even more of those. The gentlelady's time has expired. [2:43:13] I'd like more information on that study because I'm unaware of it. I yield back. [2:43:17] The gentlelady yields back. I now recognize the gentlelady from Arizona, Ms. Grijalva. [2:43:24] Thank you for your time today. I have to say, as I listen here, with all the health initiatives that [2:43:30] you're espousing, I have grave concerns about the HHS bill budget and the cuts that are being proposed. [2:43:38] I spent 20 years on a school board and saw firsthand how support systems children have [2:43:43] or don't have outside of the classroom shape their outcomes. At the most basic level, [2:43:49] children can't go to school if they're sick, they can't learn on an empty stomach, [2:43:53] and their families can't get ahead if they can't access health care. [2:43:57] I'd like to first talk to you about your proposed cuts to medical research. [2:44:00] I was reading an article this morning that talked about your affinity to perform your own medical [2:44:04] research. You apparently once cut the penis off a road-killed raccoon to study them later. [2:44:10] You speak fondly of medical research, yet your budget cuts show that the National Institutes of [2:44:16] Health are going to get a cut of more than 12%. This level of cuts would halt promising research, [2:44:22] force layoffs of scientists and research staff, and undermine America's global leadership in [2:44:27] medical intervention and innovation. What specific diseases do you believe deserve less medical [2:44:33] research? DEI. Okay. [2:44:36] We've got a billion dollars. Do you have a specific program, a specific disease [2:44:42] that deserves less funding? I would say we're putting a billion dollars into DEI, and DEI [2:44:49] research has never cured any disease. It's never produced any new drug. [2:44:54] Okay, so between February of 2025 and April of 2025, HHS canceled or froze more than 180 million [2:45:03] dollars in National Cancer Institute grants. Were you the one to approve these cuts to cancer grants, [2:45:10] or did that come directly from the White House? [2:45:12] We're giving the highest, one of the highest budget increases to NCI in this proposed budget. [2:45:18] Can you just answer my specific question? Did you, were you the one who approved those cuts, [2:45:23] or did that come from the White House? As I said, we are raising the budget for NCI, [2:45:29] for the National Cancer Institute in this budget. It's one of the only agencies throughout my, [2:45:34] sub-agencies throughout my entire agency that's receiving a raise. [2:45:37] Okay. So Secretary Kennedy, you have the responsibility to tell the truth to this committee, [2:45:42] and here are some examples of cuts. In April of 2025, HHS canceled an NIH grant regarding strategies [2:45:49] to reduce cancer and chronic disease in the Arkansas Delta. In 2020, in 2025, a grant selective [2:45:55] targeting of pancreatic cancer was cut. In March of 2025, a grant the automated digital imaging for [2:46:02] cervical cancer screening. Those, the list continues to go on. You've also noted that SNAP can be used to [2:46:09] purchase whole foods, and we look at some of the recent data. Just in Arizona, the district that I [2:46:15] represent, 424 fewer people, including 180 children, have lost food assistance since the enactment of H.R.1. [2:46:24] My constituents are writing to me telling me that they're hungry and cannot afford food. As the [2:46:28] Secretary of Health and Human Services, will you make a statement here today that you oppose hunger in [2:46:33] this country? Well, I oppose hunger in this country, and we're doing, we're the first administration to [2:46:39] be doing something about getting actually good food. Thank you. I'm grateful that you're standing [2:46:44] against the Republican hunger cuts. And if HHS spends 21 billion on physician training, yet only 1% goes to [2:46:55] community-based programs like teaching health centers that actually reduce primary care shortages. [2:47:00] Why are we under-investing in the models that work? For rural health? For community health centers. [2:47:07] I just put 143 million dollars into community health centers for physician retention. We also put 50 [2:47:15] billion dollars into the rural transformation process, a program which has a lot of money for rural [2:47:24] health care front-line physicians to retain them, to keep them, to do residencies there. It's unprecedented. [2:47:31] So, just so you know, only 1% of the funding that you've talked about actually goes to teaching [2:47:38] health centers and community health centers, and health centers lower costs and improved outcomes from [2:47:42] Medicare patients. But you asked about the problem. You know, we're trying to solve the problem of rural [2:47:47] residencies and rural access to rural personnel, and we're doing more than any administration in history to do that. [2:47:53] So, unfortunately, there are five rural health centers in Arizona that are at risk of closure because of cuts [2:48:00] from this administration. So, what are you doing to ensure that every Medicaid patient can access a community health center? [2:48:07] There's 39 million Americans in community health centers, and my personal belief is that it's the [2:48:17] most effective health centers in our country. What they're doing is better than any, and we're making [2:48:23] big investments to make sure that they continue. We've raised the funding in this budget for community health [2:48:31] centers, and then I'm finding other pockets of money funnel, as I did last week, 135 million dollars. [2:48:38] I would really like to see the data that shows that, because the rural health communities [2:48:42] and health centers in my district are suffering greatly under this administration. [2:48:47] Well, I announced the program in Arizona last week at a community health center. [2:48:54] The gentlelady's time has expired, and I would recommend making direct contact between the [2:48:59] two of you. So, thank you. I now recognize the gentleman from California, Mr. Desaulniers. [2:49:05] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary, I want to start with something I think we agree on. [2:49:10] I've had a long time since local government, and in the district I represent the East Bay [2:49:15] of the San Francisco Bay Area, we've been leaders on attacking the tobacco industry and protecting kids [2:49:21] in particular. So, you have made a comment, which I laud, that you want to wipe out e-cigarettes in the [2:49:27] country. I put a lot of work into making sure that Juul was held accountable for what they were doing, [2:49:34] yet we still have almost two million American kids using illegal e-cigarettes. So, where your [2:49:41] jurisdiction is in enforcement, unfortunately, you're cutting enforcement. How will you do what [2:49:47] you have said you want to do, and I believe you want to do, is wipe out e-cigarette use, and in this [2:49:51] instance, illegal e-cigarette use, by increasing enforcement? Do you mean vapes? Yes. Oh, the... [2:50:04] Vapes. Juul, companies like Juul. We're increasing it for... I mean, the budget increases enforcement [2:50:12] for Chinese vapes. And I've already been, you know, I was in Illinois a couple of weeks ago doing a major [2:50:19] enforcement action. We confiscated about a million, Pam Bondi and I, about a million Chinese vapes. [2:50:24] We... There's a... There's an argument for vapes. Vapes reduce cigarette tobacco smoking, which is [2:50:35] much worse. No, sir. That's... That's... That was the argument Juul made. And I'd be happy to have a [2:50:39] further conversation. I'd love to have that conversation with you. All right. So, on another [2:50:45] important matter, and I think, and this goes to SAMHSA of Behavioral Health, you and I have some similar [2:50:51] family background. My dad was an alcoholic, and he took his life many years ago. So, since then, [2:51:01] I've spent a lot of time on behavioral health and mental health. Mr. Wahlberg and I have done [2:51:05] initiatives on this, and prevention. And we now have, according to the Senator for Disease Control, [2:51:12] a real mental health crisis in this country when it comes to kids. CDC did a report in the prior [2:51:17] administration that almost half of adolescent, pre-adolescent young women, young girls, women, [2:51:24] were predisposed to depression and suicidal ideation. So, how can we work together to prevent [2:51:30] that? How can we work together to using research from SAMHSA and other research around the world to [2:51:37] make sure we start making an impact and dropping these really serious behavioral mental health issues [2:51:44] for future generations? Congressman, it's a top priority for me. I would love to hear your ideas. [2:51:51] We just announced the Great American Recovery Plan. I'm working on with Karen, Catherine Burgum, [2:52:00] with my cousin Patrick Kennedy, who you know, and with many other people who are top in their field, [2:52:07] including, I think, Jonathan Sharon, who you probably know from Los Angeles. So, we're looking for the best [2:52:14] ideas. And President Trump wants us to implement them. This is a issue that is a high priority for [2:52:20] him. And as you point out for me personally, I would love to talk to you about what you think that [2:52:26] we could be doing better. And if there's new ideas, we want to hear them. One of the big challenges I see, [2:52:32] both from my personal background, which I think you share parts of that, certainly, [2:52:36] is the deployment of the amazing research that NIH, SAMHSA, the University of California, San Francisco, [2:52:45] not far from my district, is doing remarkable work. So, the deployment of that research is a real [2:52:50] challenge. Since parity, we had a 300 percent increase in Americans asking for mental health and [2:52:56] behavioral health services. We've had a 300 percent decrease in young people going into the field, [2:53:01] because they can't pay their student loans because of the cost of school and training. [2:53:08] I talked to two young psychologists who said they had $350,000 in student debt. They didn't have any [2:53:14] money. They clearly had a calling to this field, but they didn't have any way that they could recover [2:53:20] their costs. So, that's another thing, I think, is of extreme urgency. And very lastly, in the county I [2:53:27] represent and being a former county elected, we spent a lot of time, thanks to my predecessor, [2:53:34] Mr. Miller, the former chair of this committee, doing prevention. But with the big ugly bill, [2:53:39] we've taken all of that prevention, primary care clinics, a lot of the work you espouse. Mr. Miller was [2:53:46] very important in changing the nutrition standards in this committee on free and reduced lunch to make [2:53:51] sure all the things that you've talked about actually deliver, that we're bringing farm to food, [2:53:55] really wonderful food to kids. And we've changed in California. I had a bill in here about getting [2:54:02] schools to be able to get grants for kitchen equipment that was more appropriate to your last [2:54:07] question, more attuned to preparing food like that. I spent 35 years in the restaurant business. [2:54:13] So, changing that and changing away from prevention under the big HR1 is a huge contradiction to what I [2:54:21] hear you say frequently that it's about prevention and knowledge. And in the county I represent, [2:54:27] they've already seen this huge increase, and it's going to get larger and larger, because all those [2:54:32] people who we were working with in primary care and prevention are now ending up with higher acuity in [2:54:38] the county hospital room, hospital emergency room. So, if you could spend just a second talking about [2:54:44] moving away from prevention and into crisis, which this administration is doing. [2:54:48] We'll have to carry it on in another format, but I think because the time has expired and we are [2:54:53] running close to the time limit. So, I now recognize the ranking member, the gentleman from Virginia, [2:55:00] Mr. Scott. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you, Mr. Secretary, for being with us today. [2:55:05] Let me make a couple of comments before I get to questions. The first is I want to join in the [2:55:10] bipartisan support for the community services block grant. It's a strong program and has good support. [2:55:16] We want to make sure that stays as strong as possible. The other is to put the savings in the [2:55:23] HHS budget in context. We're talking about a savings in the budget of $16 billion. The big ugly bill [2:55:37] added $3.5 trillion to the debt with interest maybe $4 trillion. Rounding that would be to the [2:55:46] the nearest $100 billion. So, we're not even a significant part of a rounding error. These painful [2:55:52] cuts are still very meaningful. The general lady from North Carolina talked about the school meal [2:55:57] equipment grant, which would help schools prepare healthy meals, but that program was zeroed out. [2:56:04] Another comment you had in exchange with the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Norcross, [2:56:09] about mental health parity. We had a hearing yesterday with the Employee Benefit Security [2:56:15] Administration where the administrator could not name any sanction he could impose to punish an [2:56:23] insurance company for failing to comply with mental health parity. Apparently, he needs legislation [2:56:30] because he didn't have the authority. So, as you work with Mr. Norcross, I think he's got legislation [2:56:35] pending. We may have to do legislation to fix that. We lost our case on that, unfortunately. [2:56:44] We lost our case on that. We couldn't help you fix it up with legislation. [2:56:50] Mr. Secretary, the GAO is wrapping up, responding to a request I made last year about DOGE's access [2:56:58] to data and IT systems within many agencies, including HHS, because DOGE was having access [2:57:06] to data in HHS that would be extremely sensitive health information, and we wanted to know what [2:57:13] DOGE was doing with that information. Regrettably, we've been informed that the department is not fully [2:57:20] cooperating with the GAO in whatever area, whether it's Medicaid, Medicare, autism, mental health, [3:06:47] you name it. We've become more efficient. We put it toward the right sources. We use research that puts [3:06:56] us on the right track, and yes, we try it. I hope it works. I tend to think it will. But we're having that [3:07:05] opportunity right now. And over the past four years, and I guess I could go back even in Republican and [3:07:11] Democrat administrations, we have done the same old, same old, and it hasn't worked. So I appreciate [3:07:16] the fact that today we had the secretary in front of us talking about controversial things, talking [3:07:22] about change, talking about doing it a new way, talking about doing it based upon research. And we can [3:07:28] all disagree on research at times. But nonetheless, it's an attempt to say what has been done hasn't [3:07:36] worked. It's cost us not only financially, but in lives and health, safety, security, educational acumen [3:07:44] across our nation. We may disagree, but I think we want success. I would state that clearly for the [3:07:54] record. Both sides of the aisle, we want to succeed. Changes are tough, but changes are underway. And I'm [3:08:02] looking forward to seeing if they work. As I said, I think they will. Until that time, we'll have further [3:08:10] hearings. But seeing no more questions to be asked, having gone through the time period, [3:08:16] I call this meeting an adjournment. Thank you.