Two senior House Democrats are demanding accountability from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over budget cuts in HIV programs. They accuse the Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 budget proposal of dismantling significant HIV prevention, treatment, and research initiatives. Under Kennedy's leadership, substantial cuts include the elimination of the CDC's HIV prevention division and termination of pivotal NIH research grants. The lawmakers state these actions jeopardize targeted populations, particularly among Black and Latino gay men, and seem motivated by false narratives regarding AIDS and HIV transmission.
Under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the elimination of the CDC's HIV prevention division and the cancellation of significant NIH funding threaten vital support for HIV prevention and treatment programs.
Rep. Robert Garcia and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi expressed concerns in a letter to Kennedy, highlighting systematic abandonment of decades of bipartisan progress against HIV and AIDS following the proposal of Trump's fiscal year 2026 budget.
The proposed budget cuts seem influenced by misinformation, including Kennedy's claims that undermine the scientific basis for the cause of AIDS, stating that HIV does not cause the disease.
The abrupt termination of research grants and initiatives neglects the needs of high-risk populations, including Black and Latino gay men, leaving health providers struggling to maintain effective prevention strategies.
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