Grassley presses RFK Jr. on drug prices, rural health and refugee oversight

Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on a wide range of oversight and policy issues Thursday, urging the Trump administration appointee to work with Congress on drug pricing, rural health care and transparency in refugee resettlement programs.

During a Senate hearing, Grassley outlined seven areas of concern before asking Kennedy to respond. He began by stressing the importance of congressional oversight, saying it “allows us to hold bureaucrats accountable to the rule of law, and it helps keep faith with taxpayers.”

Grassley called for tougher scrutiny of pharmacy benefit managers, which he said drive up prescription drug costs, and pushed Kennedy to support bipartisan legislation requiring drug companies to disclose prices in television ads. He also criticized past administrations for neglecting rural hospitals, pharmacies and residency programs, saying rural Americans’ health needs must be prioritized.

Grassley, a senior Republican and former chairman of the committee, highlighted the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program, saying the federal government had previously underutilized it. He credited the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for adding 10 hospitals to the program this year but said more must be done to support rural facilities. “It’s important that the federal government uses every tool possible to help rural hospitals,” Grassley said.

Grassley also pressed Kennedy on the Office of Refugee Resettlement, citing failures in vetting sponsors for unaccompanied children and accusing the department of obstructing his inquiries.

“I expect you to produce to me the records and data I’ve requested and instruct HHS contractors to fully cooperate with my investigation,” he said. “I also expect HHS to not retaliate against any whistleblowers, including those who identify ORR's failures in vetting sponsors on the company.

Grassley also pressed Kennedy to ensure that farming regulations remain under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency, not HHS. Kennedy responded that his department is working with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and farm groups “to make sure the MAHA agenda is consistent with their agenda.”

The Iowa Republican further raised concerns about oversight of Organ Procurement Organizations, citing bipartisan investigations into allegations that OPOs in Mississippi and Kentucky attempted to harvest organs prematurely. He urged Kennedy to strengthen accountability and prevent future abuses.

He also raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest in the federal Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee and asked HHS to provide Congress with members’ financial disclosures before recommendations are finalized.

Kennedy largely agreed with Grassley’s points. He pledged “radical transparency” in handling requests from lawmakers.

“If Congress asks me for information, you will get it immediately,” Kennedy said. He added that his years of litigation against HHS agencies over public records shaped his commitment to openness.

The HHS secretary came under fierce criticism from both Democrats and Republicans during a combative Senate Finance Committee hearing, as lawmakers questioned his handling of COVID‑19 policy and leadership upheaval at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Democratic senators attacked Kennedy over his dismissal of CDC Director Susan Monarez and his decision to replace the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel with vaccine skeptics. They accused him of undermining public health by opposing widely accepted vaccine measures.

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Kennedy called the recent CDC leadership shake‑up “necessary adjustments” to restore the agency to “world class” status and denied issuing ultimatums, although he pointedly accused Monarez of dishonesty in her criticism of his directives.

As scrutiny intensified, medical organizations and public health groups condemned Kennedy’s actions, with some calling for his resignation and warning that his policies could reverse gains in vaccine‑preventable disease control.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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