Lawmakers grilled Robert F Kennedy Jr's handling of the worst measles outbreak in decades, as the US health secretary tried to shift focus away from his vaccine stances during his first hearing before Congress in months. Democrats from the House Ways & Means Committee accused Kennedy of bungling the response to measles and undermining the safety of childhood immunizations. Kennedy did not discuss his vaccine agenda, instead focusing on 'ending the era of federal policies that fueled the chronic disease epidemic' in the US. 'President Trump and I are challenging the status quo and the institutions that defend it as we work to make America healthy again in just 15 months,' he stated. Kennedy, present to discuss the Trump administration's proposal to cut his agency's budget by about $16bn, faced complaints from lawmakers about cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and changes to vaccine recommendations. 'Your dangerous conspiracy theories are undermining safe and effective vaccines,' California Democratic Representative Mike Thompson asserted, referencing the nearly 4,000 measles cases reported in recent years. Despite shifting his focus to chronic diseases, Kennedy's past statements on vaccines continued to haunt him, especially during the interrogation about the recent measles epidemic that claimed two young lives in Texas. At various points, he acknowledged that vaccination could have potentially saved lives. Frustration mounted as Kennedy felt his responses were being overshadowed by the questions of the Democrats. His appearance received a mixed reception, with Republican representatives praising his agenda while others expressed concerns over his approach to autism research. Ultimately, the hearing highlighted the intense debate surrounding vaccine policies and chronic illnesses in America.