Home Democrats on the Vitality and Commerce committee are demanding a listening to with Well being and Human Providers Secretary (HHS) Robert F Kennedy Jr. concerning the large layoffs taking place at his company.
However up to now, GOP management has dedicated to a staff-level briefing solely, in accordance with a spokesperson for Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.).
Well being subcommittee rating member Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) in a press release Thursday mentioned a employees briefing isn’t sufficient.
“A briefing is the bare minimum that Secretary Kennedy can offer, but instead, he would reportedly send staff rather than do it himself. While a staff briefing is better than nothing, it has not been scheduled, and there is no assurance that it will be bipartisan,” DeGette mentioned.
Guthrie’s spokesperson mentioned the briefing will probably be bipartisan.
The transfer from Democrats adopted an invitation to Kennedy from Senate Well being, Training, Labor and Pensions Committee chairman Invoice Cassidy (R-La.) and rating member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
Cassidy and Sanders requested Kennedy to testify at an April 10 listening to concerning the HHS reorganization effort after 10,000 staff throughout all sectors of the company had been fired on Tuesday. It’s unclear if Kennedy has accepted, and HHS didn’t remark when requested.
On Wednesday, DeGette and full committee rating member Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) despatched a letter to Guthrie asking for a listening to so Congress can conduct its applicable oversight.
“We believe this is of utmost importance and request you hold a hearing immediately with Secretary Kennedy to give him the opportunity to explain his plan to Congress, which holds the sole authority to undertake such a vast reorganization of HHS,” they wrote.
The Democrats cited Guthrie’s personal phrases of help for congressional oversight throughout an unrelated listening to earlier that day.
“We have to have the proper oversight to make sure the things that Congress directs the Administration is in place,” Guthrie mentioned, although he didn’t decide to holding a listening to.
