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April 21, 2026
Health Secretary Kennedy Defends Vaccine Policies Amid Budget Cuts
- Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended his vaccine policies and budget cuts during multiple congressional hearings.
- Kennedy faced scrutiny over the nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz to lead the CDC, following the controversial firing of Dr. Susan Monarez.
- The U.S. has seen a surge in measles cases, with over 1,700 reported this year, raising concerns about vaccination rates and public health.
- Kennedy insisted that there have been no cuts to Medicaid, despite projections indicating significant future reductions in enrollment and spending.
3 Sources
- live: RFK Jr. testifies before House panel on HHS budgetApr 21, 2026 at 1:17 PM · The Hill
- live: RFK Jr. testifies before Senate on 2027 HHS budget requestApr 21, 2026 at 5:51 PM · The Hill
- On Capitol Hill, RFK Jr. defends vaccine policies, ongoing shakeupsApr 21, 2026 at 10:52 PM · CNN