Elon Musk, President Trump, and RFK Jr. Announce Illegal Dismantling of Federal Health Agencies
WASHINGTON — House Appropriations Committee and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) released the following statement on Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s announcement of mass layoffs at HHS:
“President Trump promised to fight for the working class—to make Americans healthier and safer and lower the cost of living—but instead, he put unchecked billionaires in charge of restructuring and dismantling our government. Elon Musk, President Trump, and Secretary Kennedy are destroying the health agencies that are most important for ensuring the health and safety of the middle class, working class, and vulnerable Americans—all while Elon Musk and President Trump prioritize a massive tax cut for billionaires.
“Elon Musk, President Trump, and RFK Jr. are eliminating the agency that provides high-quality health care services to more than 30 million low-income Americans and HIV treatment to more than 500,000 Americans with HIV. They are eliminating the agency that provides nutritious home-delivered meals to more than two million seniors. They are eviscerating the agencies whose mission is to protect Americans by preventing, preparing for, and responding to deadly disease outbreaks.
“President Trump and RFK Jr. are eliminating the agencies responsible for health care services for seniors and individuals with disabilities; substance abuse treatment; mental health services; emergency preparedness and response; and patient safety in hospitals and health clinics.
“By violating the specific appropriations written in law for each agency and component of HHS, today’s announcement from the Department of Health and Human Services violates the full-year appropriations Act that Congress passed less than two weeks ago. This illegal action will not lower the cost of living. It will not advance critical medical research or improve public health outcomes. But it will make it harder for seniors and lower income Americans to access health care through Medicare and Medicaid. It will risk the safety of our families’ food and medications. And it will jeopardize the health of millions of Americans.”
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