In a letter issued by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is accused of altering their position regarding the legality of reappointments for top National Institutes of Health (NIH) officials. The committee asserts that 14 high-ranking NIH officials were unlawfully reappointed in 2021, potentially putting billions of dollars in grants at risk. The committee also raises concerns about retroactive affidavits signed by HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to validate these appointments. However, HHS claims that these allegations are politically motivated and stands by the legitimacy of the reappointments. Rep. McMorris Rodgers calls out HHS for constantly changing their narrative and questions whether they lack knowledge of the law or are purposely misleading. She emphasizes that the committee is focused on a specific provision in the law that requires the secretary to appoint or reappoint these officials every five years for accountability purposes. Democrats on the panel disagree with the Republicans’ claims, stating that the authority to appoint or reappoint these positions lies with the NIH Director and is clearly outlined in the law. They point out that the shift in appointment power from the Secretary of HHS to the NIH Director was actually a provision insisted upon by Committee Republicans during legislative negotiations in 2016.
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