WASHINGTON – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.)  today released the following statement in response to reports that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is breaking with 50 years of agency practice and will no longer use notice-and-comment rulemaking procedures for “matters relating to agency management or personnel or to public property, loans, grants, benefits, or contracts,” which Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Friday.

“Right out of the gate RFK Jr. is proving he does not care about science or the actual impacts of his policies. He is denying the public’s right to comment on health policies because he is scared to face the truth,” said Rep. Grijalva. “Public comment periods have been an essential part of rulemaking, especially for minority communities who are often underrepresented in clinical trials, health interventions, and health policies. I call on RFK Jr. to reverse this action which will lead to uninformed policies. Despite this clear attempt to block dissent, including from health experts, the American people will not be silenced and they will hold HHS accountable for harmful regulations.”