Representative Richard Neal, who represents Massachusetts 1st congressional district, led questioning of the Health and Human Services Secretary on Thursday. The head of the agency, Secretary Xavier Becerra, testified before the committee about the President’s 2023 budget plan for the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Secretary Becerra is one of several cabinet members making the rounds on Capitol Hill this week. They have been out pitching various portions of President Biden’s proposed budget. Neal, the chairperson of the House Ways and Means committee, tried to offer Secretary Becerra a friendly face, but the hearing still got heated. 

“When you last visited this committee, Secretary Becerra, the COVID vaccine was just rolling out publicly. Now, over 219 million Americans are fully vaccinated.,” Neal said. “These impressive strides are thanks to President Biden’s visionary leadership, as well as the hard work of your team, health care workers, and public health officials.”

When some of the committee's Republican leaders questioned Secretary Becerra, the tide turned. The conversation then shifted from talking about the budget to some other hot-button issues. The Department of Health and Human Services heads up the Centers for Disease Control and the FDA, but also manages Medicaid and Medicare.

“The President’s budget has no plan to save Medicare, which is expected to go broke or 16% or 18%. Cuts in four years. I represent 240,000 seniors, the fifth most senior district, frankly, in the country, so Medicare becoming insolvent is unacceptable to me,” said Rep. Vernon Buchanan, a Republican from Florida. 

When the budget came up, some Republicans argued that Biden’s plan only “doubles down on the same inflation-fueling” plans. Becerra disagreed and defended the $127 billion in discretionary funds and $1.7 trillion in mandatory budget items included in the agency’s 2023 budget request. 

The President’s budget proposals are not final. Over the next few months, Congress will take up Biden’s recommendations and then craft their own legislation. Congress needs to pass their last budget proposal before the end of September.