U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies before the Senate Committee on Appropriations hearing on the Department of Health and Human Services budget, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 20, 2025. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. got heated during a Senate grilling Tuesday, shouting at lawmakers at one point, "What have you done about the epidemic of chronic disease?"
Kennedy was in front of Congress to testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee about President Donald Trump’s proposed 2026 budget for his department. The hearing focused on the administration’s plan to slash HHS's discretionary funding by 26%, which would significantly affect the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other public health programs.
During that hearing, Kennedy unleashed a "heated outburst" after Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) criticized the severe staffing and funding cuts, according to The Daily Beast.
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"Secretary Kennedy, whose decision was it to withhold child care and development block grant funding?" she asked at one point.
As Kennedy tried to cast blame on the Biden administration, Murray was having none of it.
"President Biden submitted his budget —" he began, but Murray cut him off.
"I'm not asking about —" she began.
But Kennedy steamrolled Murray.
"You know what? You made an accusation of me and I'm going to answer it," he shot back.
"Ok. I appreciate that — " she replied, as he continued talking. "You can go down that road, I have just two minutes left. I asked you a specific question."
Kennedy then went off on Murray.
"I also want to point out — I want to point out something, Senator. You've presided here I think for 32 years. You presidened over the destruction of the health of the American people. Our people are now the sickest in the world because you have not done your job!"
"Mr. Secretary, seriously?" Murray retorted. "That is an amazing —"
The two continued talking over each other as the clash escalated, and Murray repeatedly tried to gain control over the questioning.
"What have you done about the epidemic of chronic disease?!" Kennedy shouted.
"Mr. Secretary, seriously?" Murray replied, again.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) then jumped in.
“Mr. Secretary, I would ask you to hold back and let the senator ask the questions,” Capito told Kennedy.
Murray broke it down for Kennedy, emphasizing she's asking who made the decision to withhold childcare and development and block grant funding.
"That was made by my department," he acknowledged.
Watch the tense clip below or at this link.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. engaged in a heated exchange with Senator Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington. The spat marked a carryover from Kennedy’s Senate testimony last week. https://t.co/mxxHgkNtDmpic.twitter.com/wmMeJ647v5
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) May 20, 2025