Robert F. Kennedy Jr., testifying on Capitol Hill for the first time since he was confirmed as Health and Human Services secretary in February, on Wednesday shot down attempts by lawmakers to probe a wholesale reorganization and slashing of staff at the department, citing a court’s gag order issued just the day before.
Kennedy appeared before two influential panels — the House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee — that are examining the Trump administration’s $94 billion budget request for the department in fiscal 2026.
Kennedy defended that request as well as the government’s response to a measles outbreak and proposed changes to biomedical research.
