Horizon cutting-room links: Friday, 28 March 2025

"Senate confirms Makary for FDA commissioner," Roll Call

"Makary, a former Johns Hopkins University surgeon and author, has been widely seen as a more middle-of-the-road pick compared to Trump’s other choices to lead the Department of Health and Human Services’ subagencies. 

He will take over leadership of the agency as the FDA has been targeted by sweeping cuts by Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency. Makary said during his confirmation hearing that he will review recent cuts to the FDA’s workforce."

"Makary will join the agency as the future of the FDA’s advisory committee system appears to be in flux. The agency last month abruptly canceled the meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee during which they were expected to make a recommendation on which flu strain to target with the fall and winter vaccine rollout."

"Hegseth slips up during an international trip — again," Politico

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces backlash for sharing sensitive information in a group chat during an overseas trip, raising security concerns. Notably, he contradicted the administration's stance on the incident, prompting calls for his resignation from several Senate Democrats.

"Space Force Certifies New ULA Rocket for Launches," Air &*Space Forces Magazine

The Space Force has certified the United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket for national security missions, marking a significant step in increasing competition in the launch market, particularly against SpaceX's Falcon rockets. The Vulcan Centaur's certification process involved over 180 discrete tasks and multiple flight demonstrations, highlighting the rigorous standards required for national security launches.

"DC budget fix faces slowing momentum in Congress," Semafor

A bipartisan DC budget fix that would unlock $1 billion in already-approved funding for the capital is stalling in the House after unanimously passing the Senate. While former President Trump supports the measure, House Speaker Mike Johnson faces a difficult path forward: he can either use the Rules Committee and risk conservative opposition, or seek a two-thirds majority vote requiring Democratic support. Without action, DC officials warn of serious cuts to city services, though Republican leadership hasn't definitively killed the bill yet.

"RFK’s ‘Wellness Farms’ Idea Is More Serious Than It Sounds," the Cut

"t was in June 2023 that then-presidential candidate, now–secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. first unveiled his plan for solving America’s addiction crisis ... opening what he called 'healing camps': farms in rural areas where American children addicted to drugs, as well as those taking prescribed psychiatric medications, like SSRIs and Adderall, could detox while growing organic foods and communing with nature."

"On a podcast in June last year, he described the farms as specifically useful for Black children, saying: 'Every Black kid is now just standard put on Adderall, on SSRIs, benzos, which are known to induce violence, and those kids are going to have a chance to go somewhere and get re-parented.'"

"Despite some public interest in going pharmaceutical free, there isn’t any one-size-fits-all solution to mental health, and many patients have no reason to stop their prescribed drugs: For millions of people, they’re life-saving, and for many, quitting cold turkey could be quite dangerous."