During a three-hour budget hearing, Congress criticized Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s handling of the worst measles outbreak in decades as U.S. health secretary sought to distance the administration from his vaccine views.
Democratic members of the House Ways & Means Committee accused Kennedy of mismanaging the measles crisis and questioning the safety of childhood immunizations.
Opting not to discuss his vaccination agenda, Kennedy aimed to highlight his focus on ending the era of federal policies that fueled the chronic disease epidemic in the US.
He stated, President Trump and I are challenging the status quo and the institutions that defend it as we work to make America healthy again in just 15 months. Kennedy appeared at the hearing to defend the Trump administration's proposal to slash his agency's budget by approximately $16 billion, which would represent a 12.5% decrease from last year.
Throughout the session, Kennedy, a veteran vaccine skeptic, faced criticism regarding his cuts to health personnel and cancer research, as well as changes in vaccine recommendations.
California Democratic Representative Mike Thompson confronted Kennedy, emphasizing that his spreading of misinformation was damaging to public confidence in vaccines, citing nearly 4,000 measles cases reported in the U.S. between 2025-2026.
Since taking office, Kennedy has sought to overhaul U.S. vaccination policies, significantly reducing the number of vaccines recommended for children and replacing an expert advisory panel with vaccine skeptics.
A recent court ruling previously blocked many alterations implemented by Kennedy, which were deemed improperly enacted, although appeals against the decision have yet to be filed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Democratic Representative Linda Sanchez also referred Kennedy to the deaths of two children in Texas amid the outbreak, questioning if their lives could have been saved through vaccination, to which Kennedy replied, It's possible, certainly. Frustration mounted as he expressed that lawmakers were denying him the chance to elaborate on scientific discussions.
On the Republican side, some expressed support, with Jodey Arrington dubbing Kennedy a breath of fresh air, while others, like Blake Moore, expressed dissatisfaction concerning the administration's research on autism-related issues, which has been a core mission for Kennedy.
Kennedy’s claims, including those asserting a link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism—contradicted by experts—were also scrutinized. Additionally, the hearing illuminated the political divide on health policies amidst increasing public health concerns.
