RFK Jr accused of ‘dangerous conspiracy theories’ at heated budget hearing

Trump ally grilled by lawmakers over ‘terrible decisions’ on vaccines, public health and funding cuts to key programs Vaccines and public health dominated a frequently contentious hearing with Robert F Kennedy Jr on Thursday before the US House ways and means committee. Kennedy, the health secretary and a longtime vaccine opponent, has overseen sweeping changes to routine vaccination recommendations and has promoted misinformation even amid the biggest measles outbreak in decades. “We stand at a generational turning point. Our children are the sickest generation in modern history,” Kennedy said at the start of his testimony. While a common refrain from Kennedy, child mortality has fallen dramatically in recent decades, and Americans enjoy longer lives than ever before with record-setting life expectancy. Food dyes, menopause treatments, and cuts to gender-affirming care were featured prominently in Kennedy’s opening remarks, but he did not mention any of the administration’s actions on vaccines – apparently under pressure from the administration not to bring up unprecedented cuts to vaccine recommendations and access, unpopular moves among voters. Still, lawmakers men