Health Secretary Faces Off With Democrats Over Budget Cuts

The health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , had a rough time in front of Congress. He was there to talk about the next year's budget. But, the Democrats had other plans. They grilled him about the big changes he's making right now. These changes include firing lots of people and cutting funds for important medical research. The Democrats were not happy. They think Kennedy is breaking the rules. They believe he is shutting down whole parts of the health agencies. This is not what Congress wants. They gave money for medical research. But, Kennedy is not using it. Representative Rosa DeLauro from Connecticut was especially upset. She tried to explain the rules to Kennedy. But, he was not having it. He shouted back at her, "We are not holding back money for important research! " DeLauro was shocked. She just shook her head and said, "Incredible. " This was not the only argument. Kennedy had a tough time with other Democrats too. They all wanted to know about the big cuts he's making. They think it's part of a bigger problem. They call it the "war on science. " They believe the president is trying to hurt science and research. Kennedy's changes are big. He's firing lots of people and cutting funds. This is worrying for many. They think it could hurt important research. But, Kennedy is standing his ground. He says he's not breaking any rules. He's just trying to make changes. Only time will tell if these changes are good or bad. But, one thing is clear. Kennedy's time in front of Congress was not easy. He had to defend his actions against some tough questions.