Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accused Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) of abandoning vaccine-injured Americans during a tense House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on Tuesday. The confrontation erupted during discussions on the Trump administration’s fiscal year 2026 HHS budget proposal.
Pallone launched a pointed attack on Kennedy’s vaccine policies, accusing him of promoting anti-science views and endangering lives. “I just really think that people are going to die as a result of your actions,” he said, blasting what he described as a lack of transparency and public input.
The exchange escalated when Pallone challenged Kennedy over the dismissal of members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Kennedy responded, “I fired people who had conflicts with the pharmaceutical industry. That committee has been a template for medical malpractice for years.”
As Kennedy faced further questioning from Republican Rep. Neal Dunn (FL), he turned his attention back to Pallone. Kennedy recalled meeting Pallone 15 years ago when the congressman advocated for vaccine-injured individuals. Kennedy alleged Pallone has since received $2 million in pharmaceutical donations, saying, “Your enthusiasm for supporting the old ACIP Committee… seems to be an outcome of those contributions.”
The comment drew swift objection from Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), who accused Kennedy of impugning Pallone’s character. “He needs to take back those words,” she stated. At the request of Committee Chairman Buddy Carter (R-GA), Kennedy retracted the remark.
Kennedy’s criticism underscores ongoing concerns among conservatives about pharmaceutical influence over public health policy. Democrats, meanwhile, accused the HHS secretary of undermining vaccine confidence during a period of heightened scrutiny over federal health oversight.
