Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent appearance on Capitol Hill was nothing short of dramatic—a protestor being ejected from a committee room, a senior lawmaker tearing up in private, and a contentious exchange over health policy. On May 14, Kennedy, now Secretary of Health and Human Services, faced tough questioning from two Congressional committees as he defended his department’s proposal to slash staff by 20,000 and cut vital healthcare programs. He appeared before both the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Democratic Representative Rosa DeLauro, the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, was relentless in pressing Kennedy about the significant cuts to research funding at agencies such as the National Institutes of Health. But what happened after the hearing had concluded was equally telling. A visibly emotional DeLauro opened up to reporters, revealing that she is a survivor of ovarian cancer, a battle she’s fought for 38 years. “I’m here because of the grace of God and biomedical research,” she said. “It’s the long-term investment in research that matters—the changes we’ll see in five to ten years worry me.”
While the committee members focused on policy, the room became heated when lawmakers called out Kennedy for hesitating to strongly recommend vaccinations, particularly as the nation grapples with a measles outbreak. Kennedy, who has been known for his controversial stance on vaccines, had stated in April that the MMR vaccine is “the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles,” but stopped short of advising parents to vaccinate. This drew sharp questions from Wisconsin Democrat Rep. Mark Pocan, who directly asked, “If you had a child today, would you vaccinate them for measles?”
Kennedy’s response was cautious: “Probably for measles,” he said, though he quickly added, “What I would say is my opinions about vaccines are irrelevant.” Pressed further, Kennedy clarified, “I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me.”
Despite the tension, Kennedy received praise from some Republican lawmakers, particularly for his efforts to phase out artificial dyes in the U.S. food supply, which aligns with his focus on public health and safety.
At the Senate committee meeting, the presence of healthcare policy consultant William Arnone stood out. With decades of experience advising Democratic figures, including Kennedy’s late father, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Arnone offered his view: “It’s time for us to reassess everything and focus on the goal, which is prevention, not treatment.”
However, the drama didn’t stop there. Within moments of Kennedy’s testimony, five protestors surged toward him, with a few shouting accusations like “RFK kills people with AIDS.” Among the protestors was Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, a vocal supporter of liberal causes. Cohen later wrote on social media, “I told Congress they’re killing poor kids in Gaza by buying bombs, and they’re paying for it by kicking poor kids off Medicaid in the U.S. This was the authorities’ response.” He was swiftly escorted out by Capitol Police.
On the other side, individuals like Jeffrey Rose, an advocate of Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, voiced their support. Wearing a green MAHA hat, Rose expressed his belief that Kennedy’s focus on tackling chronic diseases and challenging the influence of Big Pharma and Big Food is exactly what the country needs. Rose, who first met Kennedy over 30 years ago when he was an environmental lawyer, continues to champion his cause.
