Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. insisted during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing that he has never been anti-vaccine, despite spending decades spreading disinformation about vaccine safety. He denied responsibility for the resurgence of measles cases in the United States, which have surged due to vaccine skepticism fueled by his rhetoric according to Democrats who questioned him.
Key Takeaways
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended his record on vaccines during a House committee hearing amid rising measles cases fueled by vaccine skepticism. Democrats questioned his role in spreading misinformation and minimizing outbreaks.
- RFK Jr. insists he is not anti-vaccine despite decades of rhetoric questioning vaccine safety
- Measles cases surged to 1,600 in the first three months of 2026, risking loss of elimination status
- Kennedy blames COVID-19 pandemic for drop in inoculation rates and denies responsibility for outbreaks
- Vaccination rates fell below critical threshold needed to prevent measles spread
- Federal court ruling left several vaccines in limbo after freezing advisory committee work
Kennedy's testimony came as part of a hearing on President Donald Trump’s 2027 budget request. He faced intense scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers for minimizing the seriousness of measles outbreaks, emphasizing personal choice over science, and baselessly claiming that the measles vaccine leads to deaths every year. Last year, he dismantled HHS's advisory committee on immunization practices and replaced its members with anti-science vaccine skeptics.
In the first three months of 2026, America logged roughly 1,600 measles cases, nearly as many as the total number for all of 2025. Because of more than 12 straight months of continuous measles spread, the nation is at risk of losing its measles elimination status achieved back in 2000. Kennedy was granted a delay of the April 13 meeting of the Pan American Health Organization, where officials were expected to reach that conclusion, until its annual meeting scheduled after the midterm elections.
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) confronted Kennedy about families in her district who avoided vaccination because they were following government guidance. According to HuffPost, Dingell expressed concern over the rising number of infectious disease cases such as measles and polio, stating that many Americans have stopped getting vaccinated due to misinformation spread by Kennedy and his appointees.
The U.S. is at great risk of losing its measles elimination status, with several states fighting to contain outbreaks that originated in Texas last year. Public health experts maintain that the best way to prevent infection is to receive the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. However, Kennedy blamed the drop in inoculation rates on the U.S. government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which he parroted misinformation about vaccine safety and efficacy.
Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Wash.), a pediatrician, highlighted the alarming trend of parents hesitating to give their babies vitamin K shots at birth due to doubt created by Kennedy's rhetoric. According to HuffPost, national vaccination rates fell to 92.5% in the 2024-25 school year, below the 95% rate needed to prevent outbreaks.
Kennedy also denied making statements about reparenting Black children on ADHD medication during a 2024 podcast. He faced criticism from medical experts for promoting what they described as 'medical racism.' The NAACP Center for Health Equity called his views dangerous and said they have already led to numerous preventable deaths.
A federal court ruling last month left several vaccines in limbo after it froze the work of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. This decision has raised questions about whether newly approved products will be covered by insurers, particularly for updated COVID-19 vaccines and other respiratory disease treatments.
Kennedy's congressional hearing blitz follows a period of significant changes to federal vaccine policies without prior consultation with lawmakers or outside advisers. According to NPR, Kennedy has made dramatic, norm-shattering changes to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that have drawn congressional oversight. These changes include altering the childhood vaccine schedule and withholding $250 million in Medicaid funds from Minnesota.
The hearings, ostensibly about HHS's 2027 budget request, have covered a range of topics including rural health, hospital drug-pricing policy, and the new nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Kennedy is scheduled to appear before two more Senate committees: Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a key member of both committees who supported Kennedy's nomination as health secretary, has publicly condemned many of Kennedy's changes to federal vaccine policies. Despite securing commitments for regular collaboration and quarterly appearances before the HELP Committee, very little of that has materialized.
Republicans have generally been friendly to Kennedy during the hearings, while Democrats have focused their questioning on his vaccine skepticism, maternal health policies, and Affordable Care Act premium costs. The hearings come amid speculation about Kennedy's standing with President Trump, who has recently fired three Cabinet members but has not mentioned Kennedy in this year's State of the Union address.
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