Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr defended his oversight of US health agencies in a fiery hearing on Thursday as lawmakers grilled him over his vaccine policies and other sweeping agency changes.
During three hours of testimony, Democrats accused Kennedy of lying and restricting Americans' access to vaccines, while several Republican senators also raised concerns.
The hearing comes a week after Kennedy fired the leader of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in a clash over his vaccine policies.
Since taking the helm at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in February, Kennedy has made a number of changes that have alarmed health experts.
In June, he fired every member of a panel of independent vaccine experts that issues recommendations for immunisations.
