RFK Jr. grilled by Congress over health spending cuts, vaccine overhaul

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House members on June 24 grilled Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for roughly three hours during a hearing, sparring with the Health and Human Services Department chief over a range of topics.
Kennedy testified before the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee on the health department's 2026 budget, with House members demanding answers about funding cuts to critical programs as well as his stances on vaccine oversight, addiction recovery, emergency abortions, HIV prevention and dietary guidelines.
Plus, Kennedy faced pointed questions about the plans to merge several agencies − including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences − into the new Administration for a Healthy America, AHA.
Kennedy also drew praise from House Republicans as he defended his moves as necessary to attack the nation's chronic disease epidemic and slow federal health spending,
Here are five key moments from Kennedy's testimony.
Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, cited concerns by scientists about Kennedy's leadership during his opening months as the nation's top health official.
"The thing that disturbs me most is this anti-science agenda," Pallone said.
Pallone said most scientists and medical professionals believe Kennedy's views on vaccines are "dangerous and not supported by scientific evidence."
"I just really think people are going to die as a result of your actions and Congressional Republican actions," Pallone said.
Pallone added that Kennedy hasn't responded to his questions about workforce and program cuts even though he pledged to "radical transparency." Pallone added Kennedy has refused to take public input about vaccines, including his decision to overhaul a vaccine advisory panel, called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP.
Kennedy said he fired ACIP members "who had conflicts with the pharmaceutical industry."
He later added that when he met Pallone 15 years ago, the congressman was sympathetic to people who suffered vaccine injuries.
"You were the leading member of Congress on that issue," Kennedy said. "Since then, you've accepted $2 million from pharmaceutical companies in contributions − more than any other member of this committee."
Kennedy added: "And your enthusiasm for supporting the old ACIP committee, which is completely rife and pervasive with pharmaceutical conflicts, seems to be an outcome of those contributions."
After other committee members raised concerns about his comments, Kennedy said he retracted his words.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, asked Kennedy whether he was aware of reports that the Justice Department is investigating UnitedHealthcare over Medicare Advantage payments.
"You are not aware that the Trump Department of Justice is investigating the largest insurance company in America?" Ocasio-Cortez said.
Kennedy said he was not aware of any such investigation, which prompted AOC to point out he oversees the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
She then asked why his department approved more lucrative payments next fiscal year for Medicare plans administered by private insurance companies such as UnitedHealthcare.
Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana, questioned Kennedy and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cuts to HIV research.
Carter cited a report from the Association of American Medical Colleges that found deep cuts to National Institutes of Health-funded research of HIV and AIDS.
Carter said one study, focusing on HIV and adolescents, was stopped due to funding cuts. Carter added that funding cuts halted HIV vaccine research.
Kennedy countered that HHS has 27 departments focusing on HIV and that agency spends $7.5 billion per year.
When Carter said HIV funding cuts slows momentum for life-saving research, Kennedy said, "show me one life."
Carter responded, "I'm insulted that you would suggest that there aren't lives that have been lost. People are dying every day, sir."
While several Democrats criticized him over the firings of federal employees and research funding cuts, Kennedy defended the moves as necessary. Several House Republicans echoed the need to direct funding in a way that better improves Americans' health.
He said the U.S. is the "sickest developed nation" even though "we spend $4.5 trillion annually on health care − two to three times more per capita to comparable nations," he said.
He said the budget maintains funding for Medicare and Medicaid, the federal health insurance programs for the elderly, disabled and low-income families. Although he did not address proposed Medicaid cuts in a House tax cut and spending bill that awaits a Senate vote, he said the HHS budget cuts are aimed at bureaucracy.
He said the nation's spiraling spending on health care "will ransom our children to bankruptcy, servitude and disastrous health consequences."
"We won't solve this problem by throwing more money at it," Kennedy said "We must spend smarter."
Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Ohio, lauded Kennedy for his focus on a 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The NIH will spend $10 million to fund a five-year study on the long-term health effects of people who lived in nearby communities.
During the Biden administration, Rulli said health officials denied the potential for long-term health consequences from the train derailment.
Kennedy said he visited East Palestine shortly after the crash and talked with people who complained of breathing, stomach and eye problems.
"I promised I would do everything I could to help them," Kennedy said, who vowed to do "honest science" over the life of the grant.
"We're going to fully disclose whatever we find and let the chips fall where they may," Kennedy said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RFK Jr. testifies before House Health committee