A planned Senate hearing with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been postponed, after the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) was unable to schedule the session within required timeframes.
The committee’s leadership, including Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), had invited Kennedy to appear on April 10 to discuss the recent massive restructuring at HHS, which has resulted in thousands of federal health workers receiving termination notices.
The workforce reduction initiative, aimed at eliminating 10,000 positions across HHS agencies including the FDA and CDC, has been marked by significant administrative problems. Kennedy acknowledged on Friday that approximately 20% of the employees who received
termination notices may need to be reinstated due to errors in the process.
During his confirmation process, Kennedy had committed to appearing before the HELP committee quarterly, a promise that helped secure Cassidy’s crucial support despite the chairman’s expressed concerns about Kennedy’s history of vaccine-related statements. The scheduling delay is particularly notable given this commitment.
The timing of the postponement coincides with growing controversy surrounding the departure of Peter Marks, the FDA’s top vaccine official, who stepped down on March 28. In media interviews with The Wall Street Journal and Associated Press, Marks cited conflicts with Kennedy, stating the secretary had demanded non-existent data about vaccine dangers and sought unlimited access to confidential safety databases.
Cassidy, responding to Marks’ resignation on social media platform X, described it as detrimental to the FDA and called for Kennedy and newly appointed FDA Commissioner Marty Makary to find a replacement with comparable scientific credentials. Scott Steele, a molecular biologist from the University of Rochester’s Clinical and
Translational Science Institute, has been named acting director of Marks’ former division.
The developments occur against the backdrop of a serious measles outbreak, with Texas health officials confirming a child’s death from the disease – the second measles fatality in the U.S. within the past month and only the second in over a decade.
The hearing delay also raises questions about Kennedy’s pledge of “radical transparency” in his role as HHS Secretary, particularly given that the recent layoffs included staff responsible for processing Freedom of Information Act requests, which enable public access to government records.
While the April 10 hearing cannot proceed due to the requirement that such sessions be scheduled at least seven days in advance, it may be rescheduled for a later date if Kennedy and the committee can agree on timing. However, the upcoming Senate recess from April 14 to April 25 creates additional scheduling challenges.
The massive staff reductions have created widespread uncertainty within HHS agencies. The layoff notices, which went out on April 1, were reportedly plagued by numerous clerical errors and created confusion among federal health workers. Kennedy’s subsequent admission about the potential need to recall many terminated employees has only added to the disorder surrounding the reorganization effort.
The restructuring’s impact on various health agencies, including those responsible for vaccine safety and public health monitoring, has raised concerns among healthcare experts and lawmakers about the potential effects on public health oversight and safety monitoring systems. The timing is particularly sensitive given the current measles outbreak and ongoing public health challenges.
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