Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr was at the centre of a dramatic Senate Finance Committee hearing on Thursday, where lawmakers from both parties aggressively questioned his leadership, particularly his stance on vaccines and the ongoing turmoil at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Kennedy, who has been in office for just eight months, was grilled by senators over a series of controversial decisions that created growing concern among public health experts.
At the heart of the hearing were his policies regarding vaccine accessibility, the reorganisation of the CDC, and his public statements that have raised alarm within the scientific community.
Vaccine controversy
The hearing turned into a confrontation over Kennedy’s views on vaccines and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Senators, including several with medical backgrounds, questioned his vaccine skepticism, with many accusing him of not trusting science enough.
Kennedy, who has previously been outspoken against vaccines, defended his approach by claiming that his leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would focus on “unbiased, politics-free, transparent, evidence-based science in the public interest.”
However, lawmakers were unconvinced, especially given his history of anti-vaccine rhetoric.
One of the most pointed exchanges occurred between Kennedy and Senator Maggie Hassan, who challenged the health secretary over new restrictions on COVID-19 vaccinations.
When asked whether he believed the government had lied to the American public about the effectiveness of vaccines and masks, Kennedy responded that the entire process had been “politicised.”
He also claimed that the scientific community had been dishonest about the effectiveness of cloth masks and the role of vaccines in preventing transmission.
“I think we were lied to about everything,” Kennedy said, after a sharp rebuttal from Senator Hassan. “Sometimes when you make an accusation, it’s kind of a confession, Mr Kennedy,” she retorted.
Shakeups at the CDC
The hearing also took a note of a series of high-profile resignations and firings within the CDC, with Kennedy facing questions about the departure of CDC Director Susan Monarez and other key health officials.
Kennedy defended the firings, calling them “absolutely necessary” to restore the agency’s credibility and effectiveness.
However, many senators, including Ranking Member Ron Wyden, accused Kennedy of politicising the agency, claiming that his actions were part of a broader effort to weaken the CDC’s ability to effectively respond to public health crises.
“Robert Kennedy’s primary interest is taking vaccines away from Americans,” Wyden said in his opening remarks. “People are hurt by his reckless disregard for science.”
Kennedy also faced criticism for his decision to replace the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices, a key panel responsible for making vaccine recommendations. His critics, including Senator Ron Wyden, accused him of replacing experts with vaccine skeptics and conspiracy theorists, undermining the committee’s scientific credibility.
COVID deaths
The hearing also saw Kennedy push back against the widely accepted number of COVID-19 deaths in the United States, which exceeds 1.2 million.
When Senator Mark Warner asked him if he accepted that the US had lost over a million lives to the virus, Kennedy responded, “I don’t know how many died. I don’t think anybody knows.”
Warner quickly pointed out that the CDC had the exact number available on its website, leading to a tense exchange. Kennedy also questioned whether the vaccine had prevented COVID-related deaths, requesting more data.
Several senators called for Kennedy’s resignation during the hearing. Senator Raphael Warnock labelled Kennedy a “hazard to the health of the American people” and reiterated his demand for the health secretary to step down.
More than 20 medical societies, including the American Medical Association, also called for Kennedy’s resignation over concerns regarding handling of the pandemic and his controversial vaccine policies.
Senator Elizabeth Warren pressed Kennedy on recent changes to vaccine eligibility, particularly the new restrictions on COVID-19 boosters for healthy adults under 65.
Kennedy insisted that “anybody can get the booster,” but Warren countered that the current CDC guidelines would make it more difficult for many Americans to access vaccines, especially in states with limited availability.