HHS secretary defends sweeping 2026 reorganization and proposed cuts as Democrats warn of lost programs and staff

Secretary Kennedy, the head of the Department of Health and Human Services, told the House Appropriations Committee that the department's fiscal 2026 proposal would consolidate programs and shift resources toward chronic disease prevention and food safety while also cutting administrative costs.

The proposal, Kennedy said, includes creation of an "Administration for Healthy America" and would redirect discretionary funding to prevention, nutrition and research Kennedy called "high impact" while cutting what he described as waste and duplication.

The committee's top Democrat, Representative Rosa DeLauro, called the administration's approach a "disgrace," saying the White House budget would slash billions from public‑health agencies. "I cannot thank you for the Trump administration's budget request to cut funding for important health programs by $33,000,000,000. Quite frankly, I view it as a disgrace," DeLauro said during opening remarks.

Why it matters: Committee members said the proposed consolidation and cuts would affect programs that deliver services to states, localities and…