Trump's research budget plan hits the ringer
WASHINGTON WATCH
NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya offered a lukewarm defense of the 40 percent cut the Trump administration has proposed for his agency during testimony before a Senate Appropriations panel Tuesday.
Asked to defend the administration's fiscal 2026 budget plan, which also calls for a major agency reorganization, Bhattacharya repeatedly demurred, saying 'the budget is a collaboration between Congress and the administration.'
Bhattcharya also distanced himself from President Donald Trump's fight with universities and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, which led a cost-cutting campaign before Bhattacharya's March confirmation.
Bhattacharya called that period — when the NIH proposed to cap the rates it pays university grantees to cover their administrative costs, laid off hundreds of probationary workers, and began an assault on universities Trump accuses of anti-semitism — 'a very bumpy time.'
His testimony annoyed Democrats. In one representative exchange, Illinois' Dick Durbin asked Bhattacharya to take responsibility for Trump's move to freeze funding for Northwestern University, based in a Chicago suburb, leading to a tense back-and-forth.
'The buck stops in your office,' Durbin said.
'I know it does,' Bhattacharya responded.
Why it matters: Bhattacharya is under fire from Democrats and many of his own employees for the cuts the administration has already made, which include about 2,500 jobs, and slowed grant funding that's reduced awards given out by $1.6 billion compared to last year.
He's sought to reassure them that now that he's in charge further agency moves will be more carefully considered and that funding will again flow, though some of the grantees will be different.
WELCOME TO FUTURE PULSE
This is where we explore the ideas and innovators shaping health care.
Doctors and their spouses go to the emergency room 20 percent less often than others, a Harvard study found. Why? Doctors can write their own prescriptions.
Share any thoughts, news, tips and feedback with Danny Nguyen at dnguyen@politico.com, Carmen Paun at cpaun@politico.com, Ruth Reader at rreader@politico.com, or Erin Schumaker at eschumaker@politico.com.
Want to share a tip securely? Message us on Signal: Dannyn516.70, CarmenP.82, RuthReader.02 or ErinSchumaker.01.
WORLDVIEW
GOP lawmakers are pushing back on President Donald Trump's proposed cuts to the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, our Meredith Lee Hill reports.
It's one of the first signals that the Republicans who control Congress aren't happy with everything Trump's Department of Government Efficiency did and aren't likely to rubber stamp Trump's fiscal 2026 budget proposal.
State of play: The disagreement over PEPFAR stems from Trump's request that Congress rescind $400 million in money it has already asked the administration to spend on global health programs. That includes some funding for the HIV and AIDS relief program.
Then-President George W. Bush created PEPFAR in 2003 and it's since been credited with saving 25 million lives, mostly in Africa.
In order to shore up support for the rescission package, White House officials have conveyed to GOP leaders that they will not only maintain life-saving treatments under PEPFAR but will also — in response to concerns from more than a dozen House Republicans — preserve some prevention programs as well, according to three people granted anonymity to discuss the private assurances.
Speaker Mike Johnson's whip team conveyed the altered plans in conversations and text messages with lawmakers, our Meredith Lee Hill reports.
Even so: White House budget director Russ Vought told appropriators last week that the Trump administration wants to take 'an analytical look' at 'the prevention itself' and instead fund 'life-saving treatment' for people with AIDS. But Vought said the White House is still planning to scale down PEPFAR and other programs.
'It is something that our budget will be very trim on,' Vought said of funding AIDS prevention work, 'because we believe that many of these nonprofits are not geared towards the viewpoints of the administration. And we're $37 trillion in debt. So at some point, the continent of Africa needs to absorb more of the burden of providing this health care.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
21 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Democrats look for reinvention and a new playbook against Trump in key committee race
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats are quietly engaged in a behind-the-scenes race for a key committee position, the second time in as many months that the party has had to fill one of the most prized positions in Congress. Four Democrats are running to be the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, an investigative panel with public clout, subpoena power and an expansive portfolio. The position is open due to the death last month of Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia. While Democrats in the minority have little power to shape the committee's work, the ranking member position comes with an enormous platform — and the possibility of becoming chair if the party wins back the majority in next year's midterm elections. Whoever wins will immediately be squaring off against Republicans as they prepare for splashy hearings this summer on immigration enforcement , LGBTQ rights and former President Joe Biden's age and mental condition while in office. As they hear from the candidates, Democrats are weighing many of the factors that were in play late last year, when Connolly, a veteran member of the committee, fended off a challenge from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. A look at how the race is shaping up: The age factor The debate over Biden's age coincides with a reckoning over seniority and generational change happening across the Democratic Party. Four House Democrats are running for the position: Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts, the acting ranking member; Jasmine Crockett of Texas, a viral sensation; Robert Garcia, a former Los Angeles County mayor who has pitched colleagues on a government reform agenda; and Kweisi Mfume of Maryland, former president of the NAACP and civil rights advocate. While Lynch is the most senior of the four, Democrats broadly said they are more open to breaking from seniority than they were in December, when Connolly, then 74, beat out Ocasio-Cortez, 35, for the job. Democrats are interested in how the candidates would communicate with the public, how they would help support lawmakers in battleground districts — and of course, how they would challenge President Donald Trump and his administration. How the four Democrats are making their case Crockett, 44, has pitched herself as the candidate best able to compete with Trump's pugnacious and attention-grabbing style. Democrats, Crockett has argued, often fail to connect with voters and explain why the president's actions may be harmful. She believes she can. 'It's a matter of bringing that in, having a hearing and making sure that we are translating it and amplifying it,' Crockett told MSNBC in an interview. 'Communications has to be a full-on strategy.' Garcia, 47, has focused on government reform and effectiveness, a key issue for Democrats after the Trump administration's blitz across federal agencies and mass firings of federal workers by billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. Mfume, 76, has attracted support from members impressed by his longtime stewardship of the nation's oldest civil rights group. He returned to Congress after decades leading the NAACP following the death of a previous Democratic Oversight chair, the late Congressman Elijah Cummings, a fellow Baltimore Democrat. Lynch, 70, has styled himself as the acting chair and the lawmaker best positioned to take on the committee's chairman, Republican James Comer of Kentucky. 'There are some members who speak to a very narrow audience, and that's great,' Lynch said. 'We want them to be energized and animated. But that same person is not going to go to the Rust Belt with people that are farmers, moderates, conservatives,' Lynch told The Associated Press. 'You need different voices to appeal to different constituencies.' 'I think I have a better chance of bringing back the blue-collar working people, and I have less of a chance of appealing to very younger people who are intensely invested in social media,' Lynch said. What's ahead as Democrats make their choice The vote for Oversight ranking member is scheduled for June 24 and will be conducted by secret ballot. All four candidates are speaking before multiple caucuses this week, including the New Democrats and the progressive caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. While many Democrats are undecided, others have made up their mind. Some who are privately stumping for their candidate believe it will be a tight race. That makes the public forums and private pitches even more crucial in the run-up to the vote. House progressives are divided over their preferred choice. Three members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus — Crockett, Garcia and Mfume — are vying for the ranking member seat, which makes it unlikely the caucus will back a single candidate. 'We're looking for folks that could expose this kind of corruption and hold Trump and his billionaire donors accountable,' said Rep. Greg Casar of Texas, the Progressive Caucus chair. Rep. Brad Schneider, chair of the centrist New Democrat Coalition, said he's weighing two factors: which candidate could best help Democrats win the 2026 midterm elections and whether they can successfully lead investigations into the Trump administration and 'try to repair some of the damage that's been done.' 'The committee can be a flash point, or it can be a very effective place for us to make our point, and we want to know who's going to do best in that role to make sure the committee works to help us secure 218 (members) next November,' Schneider said. The role of seniority and the Congressional Black Caucus Some Democratic caucuses have traditionally prized seniority as a clear and reliable way for lawmakers of color to rise through the ranks. There has never been a Hispanic Oversight chairman and only one Black chairman, Elijah Cummings. 'The CBC has always stood for seniority,' said Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia. But Johnson noted that the Black Caucus has at times 'deviated' from that norm. He said many in the caucus are open to a conversation about age. 'So, Steve Lynch, I think, is the next senior member. And but as I said, other factors have to be considered and I'm sure that, along with myself, other CBC members are going through that process,' Johnson said. 'Since I've been here, seniority has had weight,' said Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, who said he was undecided on which candidate to back. 'But seniority is not the only thing. And there are times and circumstances where the person with the most seniority has not won. Whether that's one of these times or not is what we're going to see.' ___ Associated Press writer Leah Askarinam contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bad actors in LA protests a 'good thing' for Trump's immigration agenda: Chuck Rocha
Protests in Los Angeles and other cities continue as citizens protest ICE raids taking place in their communities. Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha encourages Americans to protest if they have disagreements with the government but cautions against bad actors who cause destruction and violence, saying, "Those are the imagery Donald Trump wants to see … because it's a good thing for him." Rocha talks about how President Trump campaigned on immigration, which he says is a key reason Trump was reelected. Rocha believes Democrats have a hard time sticking to core values and need to return to those if they want to win elections. #DonaldTrump #LosAngeles #ICEprotests
Axios
23 minutes ago
- Axios
Pam Bondi: LA protesters "very different" to Jan. 6 rioters Trump pardoned
The Trump administration is "not scared to go further" in its response to Los Angeles ' ongoing fiery protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wednesday. Why it matters: President Trump has referred to protesters as "insurrectionists" and has already taken the rare steps of federalizing California's National Guard and deploying the Marines to LA, prompting reporters to ask Bondi whether he'll next use emergency powers under the Insurrection Act. California's Democratic leaders have expressed strong opposition to the federal response, and Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) have traded insults as they blamed each other for the unrest. What they're saying: "Right now, in California, what we're doing is working," Bondi said, after being asked about whether Trump would invoke the 1807 law that allows presidents to deploy U.S. troops to quell domestic unrest. "By bringing in the National Guard, by bringing in the Marines, right now, to back them up, to protect our federal buildings, to protect highways, to protect the citizens," she said during her briefing with reporters. "So, right now, in California, we're at a good point. We're not scared to go further. We're not frightened to do something else if we need to." Bondi expressed hope that the federal action and the downtown night-time curfew that LA Mayor Karen Bass imposed on Tuesday to address looting and vandalism would bring the situation under control. Of note: Newsom in a Tuesday night address said that Trump is "not opposed to lawlessness and violence, as long as it serves HIM," adding: "What more evidence do we need than Jan. 6th?" A reporter asked Bondi whether there was a double standard in the administration defending law enforcement during the current protests when Trump pardoned most of the roughly 1,500 Jan. 6 rioters during his first day back in office. "Well, this is very different," Bondi said. "These are people out there hurting people in California right now. This is ongoing." State of play: There have now been six days of ICE protests in LA, and they've triggered similar demonstrations nationwide.
