Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) confronted Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing over comments he made on a 2024 podcast suggesting Black children should be "re-parented" instead of receiving mental health treatment.

Kennedy denied making the remarks and claimed not to understand the phrase's meaning.

Sewell contextualized the offensive nature of the comments by referencing the history of family separation during slavery, emphasizing that suggesting Black families cannot raise their own children is deeply insulting. She stressed that Kennedy's words carry significant weight and responsibility given his position, noting that careless language creates confusion and causes real harm to communities.

"I expect, and the American people expect that you choose your words with sincereness and with seriousness, the seriousness that your position demands," Sewell called on Kennedy.