On April 16, 2026, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Appeared before the House Ways and Means Committee for his first congressional testimony as Secretary of Health and Human Services, marking the beginning of a series of hearings focused on the administration’s health budget proposal.
The hearing, held at 9:00 a.m. ET in the 1100 Longworth House Office Building, centered on the President’s fiscal year 2027 budget request for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which includes proposed funding adjustments across major health programs.
According to the committee’s official schedule, Kennedy’s appearance was the first in a sequence of seven hearings scheduled over less than a week, during which lawmakers from both chambers would review the HHS budget and question the Secretary on departmental priorities, staffing levels and program effectiveness.
Kennedy, who was confirmed as HHS Secretary earlier in 2025, faced questions from Republican committee members regarding recent workforce reductions and realignments within the agency, which he has stated are intended to improve efficiency and redirect resources toward preventive care and chronic disease initiatives.
The Fresh York Times reported that Kennedy was expected to defend the administration’s proposed budget, which includes a net increase in overall HHS funding but involves reallocations between agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Politico noted that the hearing was part of a broader scrutiny of Kennedy’s first year in office, during which he has advocated for reforms in food safety, environmental health, and vaccine policy, although also overseeing the implementation of public health programs affecting millions of Americans.
The Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax and revenue measures as well as certain aspects of social policy, is responsible for reviewing the health components of the federal budget before they proceed to a full House vote.
During the session, Kennedy emphasized that the budget proposal supports the administration’s goal of lowering long-term healthcare costs through investment in early intervention and community-based wellness programs, though specific dollar figures for individual programs were not disclosed in the public testimony summary.
He also reiterated his commitment to transparency and data-driven decision-making, stating that performance metrics would be used to assess the impact of funded initiatives, particularly in areas such as obesity reduction, maternal health, and substance use prevention.
Democratic members of the committee used the opportunity to inquire about potential impacts of the proposed budget on vulnerable populations, including reliance on Medicaid services and access to community health centers, though specific responses were not detailed in the publicly available summaries.
The hearing was streamed live on the committee’s official website and drew significant attention from health policy analysts, given Kennedy’s prominent public profile and the novelty of a Kennedy family member serving in a presidential cabinet role.
Observers noted that the tone of the proceedings remained largely procedural, with committee members adhering to standard questioning formats and no disruptions reported during the approximately two-hour session.
Following the Ways and Means appearance, Kennedy was scheduled to testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee later in the week, continuing the bipartisan review process required before the budget can be finalized.
The full text of Kennedy’s prepared testimony and the complete hearing transcript were made available for public download via the House Ways and Means Committee website shortly after the conclusion of the session.
As of the close of business on April 16, no formal votes or amendments had been proposed in response to the HHS budget request, with further deliberations expected in the coming days as additional committees complete their reviews.
The administration has framed the budget as a reflection of its broader health strategy, which includes addressing social determinants of health and reducing disparities in care access, though critics have urged caution regarding the pace and scale of organizational changes within HHS.
Health policy experts have pointed out that the success of the proposed initiatives will depend not only on congressional approval but also on the agency’s ability to implement changes effectively across its diverse operating divisions.
For ongoing updates on the budget process and future hearings involving Secretary Kennedy, the public is encouraged to consult the official websites of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate HELP Committee, where schedules, witness lists, and archived recordings are regularly posted.
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