Tammy Baldwin Questions HHS Nominee on Spending Transparency

Concerns Over HHS Spending Plan

• 💡 Senator Baldwin expresses deep concern over the Health and Human Services (HHS) submitting an operating plan with asterisks instead of planned funding levels for over 530 programs.
• 🎯 This lack of detail is seen as HHS intentionally hiding how it spends tens of billions of taxpayer dollars.
• ⚠️ Specific concerns include a massive proposed reorganization, firing of tens of thousands of employees, and termination or delay of billions in grants and funding.

Pledges vs. Reality of Transparency

• 🗣️ Secretary Kennedy's pledge of "radical transparency" is contrasted with the current lack of openness.
• ❓ Mr. O'Neal agrees that HHS should tell Congress and the public how taxpayer dollars are being spent.
• 🚫 The use of asterisks instead of dollar amounts is explicitly called out as not being "radical transparency."

Reporting on Staffing and Program Cuts

• ✂️ Mr. O'Neal affirms that decisions on layoffs and the functions of those employees should be reported to Congress.
• 🏥 He also agrees that significant departmental actions, such as firing employees administering clinical trials at NIH, should be made available to Congress.
• 📉 HHS has delayed funding for critical areas like research on treatments for deadly diseases, Head Start, and child care programs.

Impact of Staff Reductions on Communities

• 🏘️ An example from Wisconsin highlights how HHS firings impact communities, with the CDC's childhood lead poisoning prevention branch being fired, leading to a denial of assistance requests.
• 📉 This lack of staff capacity directly affects critical program operations, such as responding to lead poisoning cases in Milwaukee schools.
• 👶 The denial of support has lasting implications for the health and well-being of children in the city.
• 🤝 Senator Baldwin states she will follow up with the nominee to ensure HHS commits to transparency, especially regarding these impactful changes.