Overview
- Kennedy, who began a seven-hearing tour Thursday, defended President Trump’s plan to cut Health and Human Services funding by about 12% and pushed his Make America Healthy Again focus on food rules and drug pricing.
- Democrats pressed him on measles outbreaks and CDC messaging, and he said it was “possible” the measles vaccine could have saved a 6-year-old who died in West Texas.
- His overhaul to trim routine childhood shots from 17 to 11 and CDC web edits hinting at a vaccine–autism link remain on hold after a federal judge paused the changes in March.
- Lawmakers highlighted agency turmoil, noting no permanent CDC director, stalled surgeon general nominee Casey Means, and a White House aide, Chris Klomp, now acting as his de facto chief of staff.
- Kennedy sought to shift attention from vaccines to nutrition and fraud crackdowns, but exchanges grew combative as he denied past remarks about “re‑parenting” Black children and faced questions on research and program cuts.