RFK Jr. Nomination Advances to Full Senate: On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee voted to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for full Senate consideration. Kennedy Jr., a controversial pick for HHS Secretary, was approved by a party-line vote, with HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) being the pivotal vote in Kennedy Jr.’s favor.  

HHS Employees Concerned by DOGE Access: On Wednesday, the New York Times reported that so-called Department of Government Efficiency officials gained access to several CMS payment systems. CMS announced that senior HHS employees are “ensuring appropriate access” during the “collaboration with DOGE.” Senate Finance Democrats are calling for a hearing with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about Elon Musk and DOGE’s access.

Mehmet Oz Begins Senate Meetings: On Tuesday, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator nominee Mehmet Oz held meetings with senators ahead of his nomination hearings. Oz reportedly met with Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). Oz’s health background may lead to less contentious hearings than Kennedy Jr.’s, though he does not bring a lot of experience within a government bureaucracy.  

Health Data Removal Earns Backlash: Last week, some public health information was pulled from CDC and NIH government sites, which has already earned a lawsuit by the Doctors for America advocacy group. The lawsuit argues the removal of data “deprives” physicians and researchers “of access to information that is necessary for treating patients” and creates a “dangerous gap in the scientific data.” The Administration states CDC’s site is “being modified to comply with President Trump’s Executive Orders.”

Permanent Reauthorization of CDC Rural Health Bill Introduced: On Wednesday, Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced legislation to permanently authorize the Office of Rural Health within the CDC. The bipartisan Rural Health Focus Act would authorize the CDC Office of Rural Health, which was first established in 2023. The Office received $5 million in FY2024 funding.  

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