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Senators Press FDA Commissioner on Staff Cuts and Review Capacity Amid FY2026 Budget Proposal
Summary
Senators at a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing questioned FDA Commissioner Dr. McCary about recent reductions in force, hiring decisions, and whether the agency can meet review and inspection obligations under a proposed FY2026 budget that includes deep cuts to HHS and shifts in user-fee management.
Dr. McCary, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, told the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that "the trains are running on time at the FDA" even as senators pressed him about a recent reduction in force and the agency's FY2026 funding proposal.
The exchange came during a hearing focused on the administration's FY2026 budget request for the FDA, which Dr. McCary said totals $6,800,000,000 including $3,200,000,000 in budget authority and $3,600,000,000 in user fees. Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen warned the committee that "more than 4,000 people have been pushed out of FDA since January," and said committee staff had not yet received detailed information about where cuts occurred across centers and offices.
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