Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended the downsizing of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) during a House Appropriations Committee hearing, asserting that the proposed budget cuts are necessary for efficiency and taxpayer savings.

The budget plan, part of former President Donald Trump’s administration fiscal proposals, features significant reductions including $18 billion from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and $3.6 billion from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Kennedy highlighted that these cuts aim to realign HHS staffing levels, reverting them to pre-1COVID1-19 pandemic levels, which saw a 15% increase in employees.

He claimed that the financial strategy would result in annual savings of approximately $1.8 billion for taxpayers.

During his testimony, Kennedy faced disturbances from protesters, who interrupted his opening remarks at the Senate Health Committee, leading to their removal by Capitol police.

In response to inquiries about prominent tech entrepreneur Elon Musk's involvement in the cuts and staff reductions, Kennedy stated that Musk aided in identifying potential fraud and inefficiencies, but he emphasized that the decisions were ultimately made by him.

Kennedy expressed that he had resisted some recommendations throughout the process.

These budget proposals emerge amid ongoing discussions about health sector funding and efficiency, facing scrutiny from various stakeholders.

The atmosphere at the hearing reflected broader tensions surrounding governmental spending and public health priorities, with protests highlighting the opposition to the administration's budgetary approach.

RFK Jr.’s appearances before Congress mark his initial engagement with lawmakers since his confirmation in February, reiterating his commitment to reshaping the health department in alignment with Trump's fiscal policies.