Washington DC - Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. began on Thursday a marathon series of hearings before federal lawmakers, questioning set to scrutinize the vaccine skeptic's agenda that has outraged the medical community.

The testimony before congressional committees is related to Republican President Donald Trump's budgetary plan to cut 12% from the health department, which Kennedy had already worked to downsize dramatically since taking it over last year.

But the spate of hearings also serves to crystallize fierce debates over health policy – including the secretary's efforts to overhaul the pediatric vaccine schedule to universally recommend fewer shots.

In the first of seven such hearings that began Thursday, Kennedy delivered opening remarks that sought to downplay the most controversial of his initiatives, in particular those related to immunization.

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He instead highlighted his push to eliminate some food dyes and the administration's new dietary guidelines, which urge eating less processed food but also more red meat and dairy. He emphasized what he deemed the shortcomings of his predecessors.

"We're ending the era of federal policies that fueled the chronic disease epidemic and replacing them with policies that put the health of Americans first," Kennedy told the House Ways and Means panel.

Questions from Republicans were mostly softballs, but some Democrats took the opportunity to push Kennedy on the surge in diseases, notably measles, which have long been proven preventable by vaccine.

Mike Thompson, a Democrat from California, said "Kids have died" under Kennedy's watch, as Trump allowed his "conspiracy theories to run our public health."

Kennedy's tenure overseeing the health department has been tumultuous, to say the least.

Prior to his role, Kennedy had built a reputation for espousing vaccine skepticism and fringe views that bleed into conspiracy theories.

Since becoming health chief, he has pushed reforms that have stoked confusion over longstanding medical advice and diminished the global standing of US institutions.

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Kennedy has sown doubt about long-proven vaccine safety, notably rolling out sweeping changes to federal recommendations on which vaccines should be administered to children – a move prominent medical experts have said is endangering public health.

These vaccine policies put forth by the Trump administration are now blocked by a US court, which has paused implementation pending further legal process after finding the reforms were pushed through without following the required protocol.

Kennedy's health department, which has faced massive layoffs and resignations, has also slashed research funding and weakened disease prevention programs, even as the US experiences its worst measles outbreak in years.