Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparred with Democrats throughout a House budget hearing Thursday, with members accusing Kennedy of lying about changes to vaccine oversight, and Kennedy accusing lawmakers of being influenced by campaign contributions from Big Pharma.

Kennedy appeared before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health to discuss the Trump administration's budget request for fiscal 2026. But much of the hearing saw Democrats question Kennedy about his tenure so far as HHS secretary, with several blasting his actions in office.

Kennedy struck a combative tone throughout the hearing, denying that he made any false promises during his confirmation process, defending changes to his agency's funding and structure, and seeking to turn the tables on claims of conflict of interest.

Here were five key exchanges from Tuesday's hearing:

Retracts claims about Pallone

Kennedy bristled when Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.), ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, questioned his claims of "radical transparency" at his agency and ripped his changes to vaccine oversight.

Pallone specifically cited the HHS's lack of response to congressional inquiries as well as the recent firing of the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) as instances where Kennedy failed to practice transparency.

“What are you afraid of?” Pallone asked Kennedy. "I mean, with regard to vaccines, are you just afraid of receiving public comments on proposals where you just think these are fringe views that are contrary to the views of most scientists?”

Kennedy, who has in previous hearings taken issue with not having enough time to answer, used his time answering Rep. Neal Dunn's (R-Fla.) question to address Pallone.

"Congressman Pallone, 15 years ago, you and I met. You were, at that time, a champion of people who had suffered injuries from vaccines. You were very adamant about it. You were the leading member of Congress on that issue,” Kennedy said.

“Since then, you’ve accepted $2 million from pharmaceutical companies in contributions, more than any other member of this committee,” he continued. “And your enthusiasm for supporting the old [Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices], which was completely rife and pervasive with pharmaceutical conflicts, seems to be an outcome of those contributions.”

Kennedy was likely referring to Pallone having previously raised concerns in the '90s about the presence of mercury in products........

© The Hill