Inside (the Beltway) Scoop

By: Ellen Kuo
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr and Resulting Terminations

Installed as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on February 13 by a party line vote of 52-49 with Senator Mitch McConnell refusing to support his confirmation, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. agency began immediate action the next day terminating thousands of employees under the purview of the department. This included at least 1,165 people at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) out of the approximately 20,000 people it employs. Receiving an email that they were being terminated immediately, the affected NIH employees were told to gather their belongings and leave the campus.

According to Andrew Nixon, director of communications at HHS, "HHS is following the Administration's guidance and taking action to support the President's broader efforts to restructure and streamline the federal government. This is to ensure that HHS better serves the American people at the highest and most efficient standard." FASEB issued a statement concerning the harm imposed on American’s biomedical enterprise being wrought by the disruption to research and the proposed 15 percent cap on indirect costs. Maryland Senators also chimed in.

Other statements were released expressing deep concern over these firings, which targeted probationary employees, some of whom were employees with excellent performance reviews and had been promoted to new positions at NIH. Ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, Rosa DeLauro’s statement, said, “by slashing NIH’s workforce, President Trump and unchecked billionaires are blocking the development of cures and treatments for diseases and health conditions that affect millions of American families.” Former NIH Director Harold Varmus wrote a guest essay in the New York Times saying how historically, Americans of all political persuasions have respected since but that people nominated to lead federal health and science agencies are now hostile to the institutions and people they were meant to serve. Following these activities, Kennedy gave his inaugural speech to the HHS employees but did not mention the terminations.

Meanwhile, House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders continue negotiations to find a path forward on funding government agencies beyond March 14, when the current “continuing resolution” expires. On February 20, Susan Collins, the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, told reporters that government funding talks with Democrats are “not going well,” raising concerns about a possible government shutdown.