RFK Jr., the HHS secretary, testified before Congress on April 16, 2026 defending his department's budget proposal including a 13% cut to the NIH and 32% cut to the CDC, while fielding sharp questions from Democrats about his vaccine opposition and the measles resurgence. Democrats pressed him on his controversial record opposing vaccines and his past statements about separating Black children from parents, while the Trump administration has recently toned down his anti-vaccine messaging ahead of midterm elections. The hearing marks the first of seven scheduled congressional appearances on the health budget, with Kennedy shifting public focus toward nutrition and chronic disease prevention rather than vaccine policy.