Hearings to examine the President's 2026 health care agenda.

Committee on Finance

2025-09-04

Source: Congress.gov

Summary

This meeting of the Senate Finance Committee convened to consider several nominations and conduct a hearing with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.[ 00:14:38-00:14:50 ] While Senator Michael Crapo supported the nominations and the Secretary's agenda, Senator Ron Wyden expressed strong opposition to all nominees and harshly criticized Secretary Kennedy's performance and policies.

Themes

Nominations for HHS and USTR Roles

The committee considered three nominations: Rick Schweitzer for Deputy United States Trade Representative, Gus Chiarello for Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources at HHS, and Mike Stewart for General Counsel of HHS.[ 00:14:38 ] Senator Crapo supported these nominees, highlighting Mr. Schweitzer's commitment to trade policies that prioritize the American economy and workers, and Messrs. Chiarello and Stewart's potential to advise on critical healthcare issues like costs and the opioid crisis given their backgrounds.[ 00:15:06-00:15:51 ] In contrast, Senator Wyden voiced strong opposition, stating Mr. Stewart offered no assurances he would uphold laws like EMTALA, and Mr. Chiarello lacked the experience for managing HHS's vast budget, particularly given alleged administration funding weaponization.[ 00:17:49-00:46:17 ] He also criticized Mr. Schweitzer's role within what he termed Donald Trump's "disastrous" trade agenda.[ 00:46:55-00:48:16 ]

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HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Health Care Agenda and Performance

A central theme was Secretary Kennedy's leadership and the Trump administration's healthcare agenda. Senator Crapo lauded the Secretary for shifting towards a "true healthcare system" focused on preventing chronic diseases, tackling waste and fraud, and the "One Big Beautiful Bill's" investment in rural healthcare.[ 00:51:32-00:53:25 ]

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 Secretary Kennedy detailed efforts to address chronic disease root causes, fight waste, fraud, and abuse, and expanding access to care while eliminating "races, diversity, equity, and inclusion practices." However, Senator Wyden accused Kennedy of overseeing a "healthcare calamity" marked by "chaos, corruption," and increasing health costs, citing an alleged anti-vaccine crusade and the politicization of health agencies. Other senators, including Cassidy, Cantwell, and Warren, also challenged Kennedy's policies and statements, particularly concerning vaccine safety and the impact on healthcare costs.

Rural Healthcare Challenges and Solutions

The state of rural healthcare was a significant point of discussion. Senator Crapo highlighted the "One Big Beautiful Bill" as enacting the Rural Health Transformation Program, representing a $50 billion investment to stabilize and modernize rural health delivery systems.[ 00:53:20-00:53:20 ]

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[ 01:08:38-01:08:57 ]

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 Secretary Kennedy affirmed this as a commitment to increase funding to rural hospitals by over 50% to prevent closures and support these communities, noting the positive economic impact of such institutions. Despite these efforts, Senator Wyden and Senator Warner argued that the "Big Beautiful Bill" included cuts that negatively impacted rural hospitals, potentially leading to closures and reduced access to care.

Vaccine Policy and CDC Leadership Changes

The most contentious topic revolved around vaccine policy and recent changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Senators Wyden, Cantwell, Warren, Warnock, and Sanders severely criticized Secretary Kennedy for what they described as an "anti-vaccine crusade," politicizing the CDC and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) by removing scientific experts and replacing them with vaccine skeptics. They expressed alarm that these actions would endanger public health and lead to preventable diseases. Secretary Kennedy defended his actions, stating the changes were necessary to "depoliticize" ACIP, eliminate conflicts of interest, and restore the CDC's "gold standard" status, blaming previous leadership for failures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Drug Pricing and Transparency

Several senators addressed the issue of drug pricing and transparency. Senator Grassley questioned the timeline for requiring drug companies to disclose prices in TV advertisements, a measure supported by both President Trump and Secretary Kennedy. Secretary Kennedy confirmed ongoing work with pharmaceutical companies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to ensure pricing transparency and reduce costs.[ 01:55:57-01:56:11 ]

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 Senator Blackburn also emphasized the importance of PBM legislation to protect rural pharmacies and ensure disclosure of pricing. However, Senators Cortez Masto, Sanders, and Welch criticized the "Big Beautiful Bill" for exempting certain high-cost cancer drugs from Medicare negotiation, which they argued would lead to higher costs for seniors and taxpayers.

Tone of the Meeting

The meeting was characterized by a contentious and deeply partisan tone, especially during the hearing with Secretary Kennedy. Democratic senators frequently expressed strong criticism, accusing Secretary Kennedy of lying, incompetence, and endangering public health, often interrupting his responses. Secretary Kennedy, in turn, often responded defensively, at times accusing senators of "haranguing," "dishonesty," or being misinformed, and he questioned the trustworthiness of the former CDC director.[ 01:15:49 ]

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 The exchanges were marked by high emotional intensity, with senators sometimes raising their voices and making pointed personal attacks and accusations. While Senator Crapo hoped for bipartisan cooperation, the discussions remained largely divided along party lines.[ 00:53:28-00:53:33 ]

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Participants

Transcript

We meet today to favorably consider reporting the nominations of Rick Schweitzer to be a Deputy United States Trade Representative, Gus Chiarello to be Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources at the Department of Health and Human Services, and Mike Stewart to be General Counsel of HHS.   The meeting this morning will provide members with the opportunity to offer remarks on the nominees.  And following any statements, we will recess briefly and then proceed to this morning's hearing with Secretary Kennedy.  We will vote on these nominations off the Senate floor today, and I think we have agreed at 1130, as there are other votes starting on the floor at that time.   At his hearing, Mr. Schweitzer discussed his commitment to trade policies and practices that place the American economy and the American worker first.  I look forward to working with him, if confirmed, to ensure that our trade policy prioritizes U.S.  competitiveness, spurs job creation, and promotes innovation.  Mr. Chiarello and Mr. Stewart discussed the critical issues in our healthcare system.   including soaring costs, a burdensome drug approval process, and the opioid crisis.  If confirmed, both Mr. Chiarello and Mr. Stewart will have the opportunity to advise Secretary Kennedy on potential solutions.  Given their respective backgrounds, I'm confident in their ability to provide thoughtful counsel to the Secretary.  I will be voting in favor of each nomination, and I encourage all of my colleagues on the committee to do the same.  Senator Wyden.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.  I'll start off with Michael Stewart.  The Health Department's top lawyer is responsible for calling balls and strikes and making sure the department follows the law.  That is something that Robert Kennedy and Donald Trump have shown little interest in.  During his confirmation hearing, Mr. Stewart provided the committee no assurances that he would follow laws like EMTALA that make sure emergency departments provide lifesaving medical care.   Robert Kennedy, we'll hear from him later today, is speedrunning our country into the worst measles outbreak in decades.  He's gutted vaccine panels, cancer research, and is overseeing the biggest blow to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act in history.  Mr. Stewart has given this committee no reason to believe he would be anything other than a rubber stamp for Robert Kennedy.   Next up, Gustav Shirello, nominated to be the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources at HHS.  If confirmed, he'll be responsible for the department's $1.7 trillion budget.  He doesn't have a single day's worth of experience managing the finances of an organization, let alone one of this size.  This is an important role, especially in light of the Trump administration's weaponizing of federal funding.   Between February's disaster funding freeze and Trump's latest rescission of funds that Congress already appropriated, the administration is making a mockery of congressional authority.  If confirmed, Mr. Chiarella would oversee unprecedented funding and staff cuts and budget shortfalls.   He's shown no intention of pushing back against Donald Trump and taking a blowtorch to the programs and resources that millions of Americans rely on to stay healthy and safe.  Finally, Brian Schweitzer, who is nominated to be deputy U.S.  trade representative with jurisdiction...   over Asia and a number of important areas, textiles, investment services, intellectual property.
And from day one, the reason this is an important appointment is Donald Trump's trade agenda has been disastrous.  His tariffs and trade flopping has left American farmers, businesses, and workers   on an economic roller coaster.  Prices are up.  Small businesses and farmers struggle.  For the sixth straight month in a row, U.S.  manufacturing has declined.  That's the message that I've heard all over my state as I had town hall meetings in some of the most rural parts of Oregon and talked with business owners, farmers, and ranchers.   Mr. Schweitzer is going to provide neither transparency or consistency, and I urge my colleagues to oppose him and to vote no on each of these nominees.
Thank you, Senator Wyden.  Unless Senator Daines wishes to make a statement, then we will now proceed, unless there is an objection, to go into recess briefly and proceed to this morning's hearing with Secretary Kennedy at 10 a.m.   We will vote, as I said earlier, on these nominations off the Senate floor today at 1130 a.m.  Without objection, it is so ordered.  And the committee will stand in recess.
This hearing will come to order.  Today we meet to hear from U.S.  Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  about President Trump's 2026 health care agenda.  Mr. Secretary, thank you for being here.

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