Secretary of Health and Human Services - 101
Radical Shifts at HHS: Secretary Kennedy Reshapes Rulemaking, Dietary Guidelines, and Agency Restructuring
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has been at the center of several significant developments in recent days, reflecting the ongoing changes and challenges within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
One of the most notable announcements came on March 3, 2025, when Secretary Kennedy published a policy statement in the Federal Register, rescinding the long-standing Richardson Waiver. This waiver, in place since 1971, had required new rules and regulations to be open for public comment before implementation, going beyond the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The new policy aligns HHS's rulemaking procedures with the APA, eliminating the need for public comment periods. HHS justified this change by stating that the public participation process imposed too many responsibilities and hindered the department's efficiency and flexibility[5].
This decision has sparked controversy, with opponents arguing that it reduces transparency and public input in rule-making decisions that significantly impact public health and welfare.
In addition to this policy shift, Secretary Kennedy and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins have been working on the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Following the inaugural meeting of the Make America Healthy Again Commission, they announced their commitment to releasing the final guidelines ahead of the statutory deadline of December 31, 2025. The guidelines are currently under a line-by-line review of the Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Both secretaries emphasized the importance of basing the guidelines on sound science rather than political ideologies and ensuring they serve public health rather than special interests[1].
Moreover, HHS is bracing for a significant reorganization under Secretary Kennedy's leadership. The Trump administration is planning to slash the HHS workforce, with potential cuts affecting various agencies, including the Office for the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. These changes are part of a broader effort to downsize key agencies and overhaul their policy priorities. The reorganization could particularly impact technology employees who oversee the certification of electronic health records, a critical aspect of ensuring patients and doctors can access relevant health data[3].
The reorganization plans come amid legal challenges, as a federal district court judge recently ordered the rehiring of tens of thousands of probationary employees fired in February under the Department of Government Efficiency initiative. Despite this, the administration is likely to proceed with further cuts, which have already created a sense of uncertainty and concern among HHS employees and the health research industry[3].
One of the most notable announcements came on March 3, 2025, when Secretary Kennedy published a policy statement in the Federal Register, rescinding the long-standing Richardson Waiver. This waiver, in place since 1971, had required new rules and regulations to be open for public comment before implementation, going beyond the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The new policy aligns HHS's rulemaking procedures with the APA, eliminating the need for public comment periods. HHS justified this change by stating that the public participation process imposed too many responsibilities and hindered the department's efficiency and flexibility[5].
This decision has sparked controversy, with opponents arguing that it reduces transparency and public input in rule-making decisions that significantly impact public health and welfare.
In addition to this policy shift, Secretary Kennedy and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins have been working on the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Following the inaugural meeting of the Make America Healthy Again Commission, they announced their commitment to releasing the final guidelines ahead of the statutory deadline of December 31, 2025. The guidelines are currently under a line-by-line review of the Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Both secretaries emphasized the importance of basing the guidelines on sound science rather than political ideologies and ensuring they serve public health rather than special interests[1].
Moreover, HHS is bracing for a significant reorganization under Secretary Kennedy's leadership. The Trump administration is planning to slash the HHS workforce, with potential cuts affecting various agencies, including the Office for the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. These changes are part of a broader effort to downsize key agencies and overhaul their policy priorities. The reorganization could particularly impact technology employees who oversee the certification of electronic health records, a critical aspect of ensuring patients and doctors can access relevant health data[3].
The reorganization plans come amid legal challenges, as a federal district court judge recently ordered the rehiring of tens of thousands of probationary employees fired in February under the Department of Government Efficiency initiative. Despite this, the administration is likely to proceed with further cuts, which have already created a sense of uncertainty and concern among HHS employees and the health research industry[3].
- Broadcast on:
- 20 Mar 2025
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has been at the center of several significant developments in recent days, reflecting the ongoing changes and challenges within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
One of the most notable announcements came on March 3, 2025, when Secretary Kennedy published a policy statement in the Federal Register, rescinding the long-standing Richardson Waiver. This waiver, in place since 1971, had required new rules and regulations to be open for public comment before implementation, going beyond the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The new policy aligns HHS's rulemaking procedures with the APA, eliminating the need for public comment periods. HHS justified this change by stating that the public participation process imposed too many responsibilities and hindered the department's efficiency and flexibility[5].
This decision has sparked controversy, with opponents arguing that it reduces transparency and public input in rule-making decisions that significantly impact public health and welfare.
In addition to this policy shift, Secretary Kennedy and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins have been working on the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Following the inaugural meeting of the Make America Healthy Again Commission, they announced their commitment to releasing the final guidelines ahead of the statutory deadline of December 31, 2025. The guidelines are currently under a line-by-line review of the Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Both secretaries emphasized the importance of basing the guidelines on sound science rather than political ideologies and ensuring they serve public health rather than special interests[1].
Moreover, HHS is bracing for a significant reorganization under Secretary Kennedy's leadership. The Trump administration is planning to slash the HHS workforce, with potential cuts affecting various agencies, including the Office for the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. These changes are part of a broader effort to downsize key agencies and overhaul their policy priorities. The reorganization could particularly impact technology employees who oversee the certification of electronic health records, a critical aspect of ensuring patients and doctors can access relevant health data[3].
The reorganization plans come amid legal challenges, as a federal district court judge recently ordered the rehiring of tens of thousands of probationary employees fired in February under the Department of Government Efficiency initiative. Despite this, the administration is likely to proceed with further cuts, which have already created a sense of uncertainty and concern among HHS employees and the health research industry[3].
One of the most notable announcements came on March 3, 2025, when Secretary Kennedy published a policy statement in the Federal Register, rescinding the long-standing Richardson Waiver. This waiver, in place since 1971, had required new rules and regulations to be open for public comment before implementation, going beyond the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The new policy aligns HHS's rulemaking procedures with the APA, eliminating the need for public comment periods. HHS justified this change by stating that the public participation process imposed too many responsibilities and hindered the department's efficiency and flexibility[5].
This decision has sparked controversy, with opponents arguing that it reduces transparency and public input in rule-making decisions that significantly impact public health and welfare.
In addition to this policy shift, Secretary Kennedy and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins have been working on the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Following the inaugural meeting of the Make America Healthy Again Commission, they announced their commitment to releasing the final guidelines ahead of the statutory deadline of December 31, 2025. The guidelines are currently under a line-by-line review of the Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Both secretaries emphasized the importance of basing the guidelines on sound science rather than political ideologies and ensuring they serve public health rather than special interests[1].
Moreover, HHS is bracing for a significant reorganization under Secretary Kennedy's leadership. The Trump administration is planning to slash the HHS workforce, with potential cuts affecting various agencies, including the Office for the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. These changes are part of a broader effort to downsize key agencies and overhaul their policy priorities. The reorganization could particularly impact technology employees who oversee the certification of electronic health records, a critical aspect of ensuring patients and doctors can access relevant health data[3].
The reorganization plans come amid legal challenges, as a federal district court judge recently ordered the rehiring of tens of thousands of probationary employees fired in February under the Department of Government Efficiency initiative. Despite this, the administration is likely to proceed with further cuts, which have already created a sense of uncertainty and concern among HHS employees and the health research industry[3].