LEXINGTON, Ky. — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. concluded a series of congressional hearings Wednesday, deflecting responsibility for measles outbreaks and declining vaccination rates across the country while touting administration initiatives aimed at making health care more affordable, according to reporting from LEX 18 News.

Kennedy testified before multiple Senate and House committees over several days this week and last, defending President Donald Trump's proposed 2027 budget, which would increase defense spending while cutting more than 12 percent of funding from the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy acknowledged the cuts were painful but necessary to address the federal government's record $39 trillion deficit.

When questioned by Democrats, Kennedy became defiant, at times raising his voice while making claims that experts said did not align with facts. He accused lawmakers of grandstanding and seeking sound bites rather than meaningful dialogue.

Kennedy repeatedly insisted he bears no responsibility for vaccination rate declines, citing a global rise in measles cases across Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. The former anti-vaccine activist and 2024 presidential candidate disputed accusations he is anti-vaccine, claiming instead to be pro-science. However, surveys show that trust in federal health agencies has continued to decline during his tenure.

Kennedy forcefully denied that proposed nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts over the next decade constitute actual reductions, arguing instead that Medicaid outlays are estimated to increase 47 percent over that period. However, Georgetown University research professor Edwin Park said Kennedy's analysis represents "politicized framing," noting that the federal government would spend nearly a trillion dollars less than it otherwise would without the proposed legislation.

Lawmakers from both parties expressed concern about health care affordability, a major issue for voters heading into the 2026 midterm elections. Kennedy cited several Trump administration initiatives, including the TrumpRx website for discounted drugs and the administration's most favored nation pharmaceutical deals, to address cost concerns.

The administration is proposing cuts of more than $5 billion from the National Institutes of Health as part of the broader HHS reductions, a proposal that drew bipartisan concern during the hearings.