The Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing with Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra to hold him accountable for his failed leadership. Don’t miss these top moments, including Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) telling Secretary Becerra that HHS has “lost sight of its core mission."
More from Chair Rodgers yesterday morning :
“Secretary Becerra, I remain deeply troubled for how you are leading the Department of Health and Human Services. You have broken the American people’s trust on nearly every front.
“I’ll begin today with your complete failure to assure the safety and well-being of unaccompanied children crossing the border."
[…]
“In addition, you failed to follow the law and the Constitution to reappoint 14 NIH officials, including Dr. Fauci. As a result, they exercised power and authority they didn’t legally have in approving billions of dollars in taxpayer funded grants.
“There is a crisis of confidence at your public health agencies, including the CDC, FDA and NIH.
“CMS is denying seniors approved Alzheimer’s medications and your department is dragging its feet on meaningful price transparency rules to lower drug costs.
“The FDA’s baby formula shortage caused panic and harm to mothers, fathers, and children across the nation.
“You have failed to provide transparency for President Biden's radical spending agenda that fueled record-breaking inflation.
“For the sake of time, I won’t go on, but I will close by saying this, HHS has lost sight of its core mission."
TOP MOMENTS:
1. Secretary Becerra refused to answer whether sponsors of unaccompanied minors must pass a home inspection check
Representative Debbie Lesko (R-AZ): Does ORR inspect the homes of 100% of the prospective UC (unaccompanied children) sponsors?
Secretary Becerra: We do a thorough vetting process of any sponsor.
Representative Lesko: Yes or no, 100% of the UC sponsors, sir. Do you inspect the homes of the unaccompanied children proposed sponsors?
Secretary Becerra: We will often do home studies.
Representative Lesko: Well, I guess that's a no. If you don't, which I assume you don't, since you didn't answer yes or no, why is it that dogs and cats that are being foster parented in D.C. homes get a more thorough vetting and their homes are inspected and not the sponsors of unaccompanied children being put into homes?
2. Secretary Becerra could not guarantee that HHS is performing background checks against the sex offender registry:
Chair Rodgers: Can you guarantee that no child that you're responsible for keeping safe is sent to a sponsor looking to exploit their labor? Can you guarantee that? Can you say yes or no that you can guarantee ORR doesn't place children in households with convicted sex offenders or child abusers?
Secretary Becerra: Madam Chair, I know you're a mom and I’m a dad. There are very few times when you can say yes or no about anything about your kids, and we've got thousands of kids in our care. And what I will tell you is that the challenge that we face, to make sure that those children are properly placed, is one we take very seriously and so we do everything we can to vet those sponsors before we let those children...
Chair Rodgers: You only conducted child abuse and neglect, background checks in 9% of the cases in 2021.
3. Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) to Secretary Becerra: Is it standard operating policy for HHS to release children to sponsors who haven't been properly vetted?
Representative Kate Cammack talking about a young girl she saw at the southern border: I want to show a quick photo. I myself took this photo. That little girl was acting terrified, not of the agents, not of myself, but of the man holding her.
{…}
We threatened this man with a DNA test. He confessed that he was actually not her father, that he had 'rented' her.
4. Secretary Becerra could not provide evidence that he lawfully reappointed 14 senior NIH officials, including Dr. Fauci.
Chair Rodgers: So, Mr. Secretary, is there a form? Is there a letter? Can you provide us any documentation that Dr. Collins reappointed these IC directors?
Secretary Becerra: Although we have already provided you with a lot of information, I'm more than willing to have my team follow up with you on that particular question.
Chair Rodgers: I haven't seen it yet. On June 8, 2023, and June 15, 2023, you signed affidavits ratifying the selection, and prospectively reappointing certain NIH directors. Was that the first time you signed a document related to the reappointments? Can you just say yes, or no?
Secretary Becerra: Again, Madam Chair, the evidence is before you.
Chair Rodgers: Okay, what evidence?
Secretary Becerra: The process that we have appointed, we’ve answered these questions in writing. I'm saying to you again.
Chair Rodgers: I have yet to see the documents.
READ MORE: The law is clear. The Secretary of HHS Must Appoint NIH IC Directors.
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