PLUS: Baldwin outlines disastrous impact of Trump health policy, including measles and foodborne illness outbreaks, rate hikes for insurance coverage, and cuts to lifesaving research

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) questioned several of President Trump’s nominees for positions within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) at a Senate hearing and secured commitments that the Trump Administration will restore the ‘Press 3’ option for LGBTQ+ youth at the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by the end of September. This news comes after the Trump Administration abruptly cancelled ‘Press 3’ over a year ago and has since dragged their feet on following Senator Baldwin’s bipartisan law that mandated a return of these services. For more than 13 months, the Trump Administration has withheld specialized services for a population that is more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers.

WATCH: Senator Baldwin questions Trump Nominees on 988 ‘Press 3’

During her questioning at a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing, Senator Baldwin pressed Chris Klomp, nominee for HHS Deputy Secretary, and Dr. Timothy Westlake, nominee for Assistant Secretary of Mental Health and Substance Abuse (SAMHSA), about HHS’s failure to restore 988 specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth, despite Congress mandating the Trump Administration relaunch it in bipartisan funding legislation for Fiscal Year 2026 and only two weeks remaining in the Fiscal Year. Before it was shuttered by RFK, Jr., the hotline was fielding about 10% of all 988 contacts, including 19% of all texts. During their testimony, the nominees shared that a contract has been awarded to restore ‘Press 3’ services and that the Trump Administration should have an announcement about relaunch before the end of the Fiscal Year on September 30. 

During her opening statement, Senator Baldwin highlighted how Secretary Kennedy and President Trump’s disastrous health policies are making Americans sicker and taking away care. She highlighted the historic outbreaks of measles and foodborne illnesses, withheld, unspent, or frozen funding impacting vital programs like Head Start and research on NIH, and record cuts to Affordable Care Act coverage and Medicaid that are projected to terminate health care for 15 million Americans.

WATCH: Senator Baldwin makes opening statement at HELP hearing

Click here for a full video of Senator Baldwin’s opening statement and questions in front of HELP. 

An online version of this release is available here.