RFK Jr. grilled in House hearings

In his first congressional appearance of the year, Health Secretary RFK Jr. defended a proposed 12% cut to the Department of Health and Human Services budget.

Democrats aggressively challenged his messaging on vaccines and public health misinformation, while Kennedy attempted to pivot the discussion toward chronic disease and food safety.

The hearings also touched on a rise in measles cases in states like Utah, which some lawmakers linked to shifting public health priorities.

Despite the friction, Kennedy maintained that the budget focuses on prevention to improve long-term health outcomes.