Trump White House rescinds order freezing federal grants after widespread confusion The action comes less than two days after the order sparked legal challenges

https://www.statnews.com/2025/01/29/trump-white-house-rescinds-order-freezing-federal-grants/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--p_laLMdHndVL7EryBsfPggAqtvkULfcOADgNCiP8vvrBYY8SNLqnbp15QtyAt9Yu0ITz2Ln0fy1r8IWAhy-nHlPFqRA&_hsmi=344824080&utm_content=344824080&utm_source=hs_email Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made his first congressional appearance yesterday as President Trump’s pick to lead HHS. At the Senate confirmation hearing, which STAT live-blogged, there were discussions about abortion, Medicaid, Covid-19, and onesies. RFK Jr. and the case of the onesies: Concerns about vaccine views flare at confirmation hearing Sen. Sanders pressed HHS nominee on why his former group was profiting off anti-vaccine merchandise https://www.statnews.com/2025/01/29/rfk-jr-onesie-kennedy-group-childrens-health-defense-sells-antivax-merchandise/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_pI13XMkuTzUBdBJ9TzhoA7Pikzkjt87T9VizVUrJy1qjHmBeF5sGTAY2kkFOZ_FBZSWRIvYt_WRisHQL6QbaPBZ_Mtg&_hsmi=344824080&utm_content=344824080&utm_source=hs_email In an analysis of the hearing, STAT’s Isa Cueto writes that what was missing from Kennedy’s responses to hours of questioning was a concrete plan for how he’d plan to “make America healthy again.” With Rachel Cohrs Zhang and Sarah Owermohle, she also wrote about the seven major topics he did address during the hearing. The 7 big topics RFK Jr. addressed during a fiery confirmation hearing The questions spanned vaccines, abortion, Medicaid, and more https://www.statnews.com/2025/01/29/rfk-jr-confirmation-hearing-key-takeaways-trump-health-secretary-nominee/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9jID4kZfXBstGx2bxQUjPT-8qili6PLbupSp95_50f-RweJmzATHLeWuOQjCX4zVfNeDs7D_jibUzNfavm_PT8DiTh1Q&_hsmi=344824080&utm_content=344824080&utm_source=hs_email Some of STAT’s previous coverage came directly into play during the hearings. Kennedy was asked about a report from Isa and Rachel Cohrs Zhang that showed his presidential campaign was making money off the HHS freeze. “I don’t think my campaign exists anymore,” he replied. But his campaign sent out another fundraising email during the hearing. Kennedy also cited a JAMA study on fluoride and IQ — Anil Oza covered that study, and why many researchers took issue with it. What to know about a controversial new study on fluoride and IQ The study is likely to further inflame politicized debates over water fluoridation https://www.statnews.com/2025/01/06/fluoride-iq-jama-pediatrics-critiques-meta-analysis/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9AJsNysiu6wFgEVNAECh5z1fZTSB9y2msjJGfTuOQrdKalpFiepFvLU3-55Ionkc-YsKSaY0zQ9etE5DUHAG7O1mTaug&_hsmi=344824080&utm_content=344824080&utm_source=hs_email Keep an eye out today for more coverage — the live blog will be here — of Kennedy’s second hearing today. And in case you missed this puzzling turn of events: Yesterday, the budget office rescinded its memo freezing all spending on federal grants. But to be clear, that’s the memo that was rescinded, not any of the executive orders directed at federal spending on DEI, climate, transgender people, and more. Read the latest. Live updates: RFK Jr., Trump’s HHS pick, faces new interrogations at second confirmation hearing Lawmakers to delve further into vaccine views, abortion stance, and more https://www.statnews.com/2025/01/30/rfk-jr-confirmation-hearing-day-2-health-secretary-nominee/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_ds5x4NXv1fp9KxAFL9td7Bjnk6JqX5E14XtWiqiL2OvpUVoZR8T7YraQE9we5yVOHhxauRcQn7det8IBJVy5v_EVI3Q&_hsmi=344824080&utm_content=344824080&utm_source=hs_email