Both Republicans and Democrats clash with RFK Jr. on vaccines, CDC turmoil

Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican, claimed thousands of deaths were reported in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) following COVID-19 vaccination.

This is missing crucial context about the VAERS database, which does not contain confirmed cases of vaccine injuries.

Rather, the database serves as an important early warning systems for unforeseen problems with approved vaccinations, though reports can be submitted voluntarily by anyone, meaning many of the reports may not be accurate or the injury was not actually caused by a vaccine.

-ABC News' Youri Benajaoud

Speaking outside of the hearing, Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden said he has heard from families who said they are worried about the lack of access to vaccines after major changes to policy under Kennedy’s watch.

“I think that so many families are already going to bed at night worried that there won't be a vaccine for their kids, their loved ones and, clearly, Mr. Kennedy is on a mission where the facts don't matter,” Wyden said.

-ABC News’ Arthur Jones II

As Kennedy testifies in front of senators on major vaccine changes at HHS, polls show most Americans support vaccine requirements.

Most U.S. adults -- 79% -- say parents should be required to have children vaccinated against diseases like measles, mumps and rubella to attend school, according to a June poll from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

That figure includes 72% of all parents, 90% of Democrats and 68% of Republicans surveyed.

Additionally, 81% of parents across all political backgrounds said they believe public schools should require measles and polio vaccines for students, allowing for some health and religious exceptions, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation and Washington Post poll of parents and guardians of children under 18 years old surveyed in July and August.

What’s more, a Reuters/Ipsos poll from August found that 55% of Americans say the country's public health is going in the wrong track, with 29% saying it's going in the right direction.

-ABC News' Dan Merkle, Oren Oppenheim and Benjamin Siegel

Kennedy, in an exchange with Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, said there are "no cuts to Medicaid" in the sweeping Trump spending cut and tax bill.

"That is absurd," Warner responded.

The megabill passed by Republicans in Congress in early July includes $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and Medicare spending. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the law will result in 10 million Americans losing health insurance over the next decade, with more than 7 million people expected to lose Medicaid coverage.