Democratic lawmakers, who are scheduled to take control of Congress in January following the 2026 midterm elections, are considering oversight actions and potential impeachment proceedings against Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The move comes after two years of Kennedy-led reforms under the Trump administration that included changes to vaccine guidance and reductions in medical research.
Kennedy, a former Democrat who supported President Donald Trump’s campaign after ending his own 2024 independent presidential bid, has overseen significant staffing cuts at HHS as part of a government efficiency initiative. These actions, along with the elimination of scientific studies focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, have led to calls from incoming committee leaders for formal investigations and accountability.
Representative Jim Clyburn (D-SC) identified Kennedy as a high-priority target for impeachment during a CNN interview, a sentiment echoed by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the incoming chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), expected chair of the Senate Finance Committee, launched two investigations this week into Kennedy's 2019 testimony regarding a trip to Samoa and his reported acceptance of expensive gifts. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD), likely the next chair of the House Judiciary Committee, has also pledged to investigate alleged wrongdoing.
The scale of the impact involves the entire HHS budget and workforce, where sweeping staffing cuts have already been implemented. While specific dollar figures for the research cuts were not reported, the changes affect national health guidance for a country of over 330 million people. For an individual household, these policy shifts may be noticed in the types of food served in school cafeterias or the availability of certain vaccines as measles outbreaks increase. MAHA advocates like Mark Gorton of the MAHA Institute warned that hostility toward Kennedy could alienate voters who prioritize fighting "corporate capture" of government agencies.
Knock-on effects could include a stall in bipartisan legislation if MAHA-aligned activists withdraw support for joint projects on regenerative agriculture and pesticide liability. Several lawmakers, including Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA), have already begun working with these activists on such proposals. What happens next depends on the January convening of the new Congress, where committee chairs will decide whether to move from investigations to formal impeachment votes. Kennedy has faced calls to resign, including from Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA), but no official departure date or impeachment timeline has been set.