WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, laid out his priorities and expectations for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) during a hearing to consider Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to be HHS Secretary. Grassley discussed the importance of lowering prescription drug prices, holding pharmacy benefit managers accountable, bolstering rural health care, answering congressional oversight and more.
In response to Grassley, Kennedy said: “I agree with all those provisions, Senator. My approach to the administration of HHS will be radical transparency. If members of this committee or other members of Congress want information, the doors are open... If Congress asked me for information, you would get it immediately.”
Video and excerpts from Grassley follow.
Oversight:
“A key responsibility of each member of Congress is oversight. Oversight allows us to hold bureaucrats accountable to the rule of law, and it helps keep faith with taxpayers. I expect HHS to provide timely and complete responses to congressional oversight.”
PBMs:
“I’ve been working to hold Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) accountable in order to lower prescription drug costs. I expect you to work with us to hold PBMs accountable and ask for your support for legislation that’s before Congress.”
Prescription Drug Pricing:
“Senator Durbin and I have been trying to get a bill passed that requires price disclosures on TV ads for prescription drugs. Knowing what something costs before buying it is just common sense. President Trump tried to do this by regulation in his first term and Vice President Vance cosponsored our bill last Congress. I ask you to support my bill, or if you can do it by regulation, do it by regulation.”
Rural Health Care:
The previous administration dragged its feet in opening up slots for the Rural Community Hospital demonstration program. It also ignored concerns from rural pharmacies when implementing changes to Medicare Part D and ignored rural needs when it comes to distributing physician residency slots. I expect you to prioritize rural Americans’ health care needs.”
Agriculture:
“In our meeting earlier this month, we talked at length about agriculture. You prefaced the conversation by saying you will not have jurisdiction over those issues. I expect you to leave agricultural practices regulations to the proper agencies, and for the most part that’s USDA and EPA.”
Dietary Guidelines:
“I’ve sent letters to the Secretaries of Agriculture and HHS requesting they provide information regarding conflicts of interest on the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee to increase transparency. I expect you to provide Congress with confidential financial disclosures from the Advisory Committee before finalizing the Dietary Guidelines, so we know that nobody has a vested interest in it.”
HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement Oversight (ORR):
“Last year, I expanded my investigation into HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement. I wrote to two dozen contractors and grantees whose job it is to place unaccompanied children with sponsors. In many cases, children have been placed with improperly vetted sponsors, placing them at risk of trafficking. The Biden administration’s HHS directed these taxpayer-funded contractors and grantees to not respond to my inquiry. This is obstruction by the executive branch.
“I expect you to produce to me the records and data I’ve requested and instruct HHS contractors to fully cooperate as well. I also expect HHS to not retaliate against any whistleblowers, including those who identify ORR’s failures in vetting sponsors of unaccompanied [children].”
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