RFK Jr. faces pushback over vaccine limits

Introduction to the Controversy

A rare display of bipartisan consensus was seen Thursday at a remarkably contentious Senate hearing with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy appeared before the Senate Finance Committee after an extraordinarily tumultuous week and a half in which he announced limited access to Covid vaccines and fired the newly confirmed director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Susan Monarez, leading to an exodus of senior officials at the agency.

Concerns Over Vaccine Access

Over roughly three hours of questioning, Kennedy was more vocal in his anti-vaccine views than at previous Senate hearings and seemed to return to embracing fringe positions that experts have warned could seriously damage public health. He told Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., that he believes vaccines developed with mRNA — the technology used for Pfizer’s and Moderna’s Covid shots — cause serious harm, including death. He later doubled down on the remark during an exchange with Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.

During a U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that he “doesn’t know” how many people died during the COVID-19 pandemic. His comment came after the CDC issued guidance requiring pharmacists to obtain a prescription before administering the COVID vaccine.

Bipartisan Condemnation

It was Kennedy’s criticism of vaccines that drew bipartisan condemnation. Several Republicans sought to highlight a divide between Kennedy and what they said was one of President Trump’s biggest accomplishments of his first term: Operation Warp Speed, the public-private program to quickly develop and distribute the first Covid shots.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., asked whether Trump deserved a Nobel Prize for the initiative, to which Kennedy said: “Absolutely, senator.”
“As lead attorney for the Children’s Health Defense, you engaged in multiple lawsuits attempting to restrict access to the Covid vaccine,” Cassidy responded. “Again, it surprises me that you think so highly of Operation Warp Speed, when, as an attorney, you attempted to restrict access.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told the U.S. Senate Finance Committee that he fired Susan Monarez as CDC director because she said she was not "a trustworthy person." Monarez says she was fired for refusing to endorse vaccine recommendations not supported by science.

Criticism from Both Sides

Cassidy’s line of questioning was eagerly anticipated. The senator was a key vote in Kennedy’s confirmation but has since been critical of some of his decisions. Earlier this week, Cassidy would not say whether he regretted his vote to confirm the secretary. He also read aloud a post on X from conservative talk show host Erick Erickson, whose wife has Stage 4 lung cancer and — according to Erickson — was unable to get a Covid vaccine “thanks to the current mess at HHS.” “I would say, effectively, we’re denying people vaccine,” Cassidy said.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., highlighted the turmoil at the CDC and questioned Kennedy’s response to the measles outbreak in western Texas. During the outbreak, Kennedy downplayed the benefits of vaccination and pushed unproven treatments. “Secretary Kennedy, in your confirmation hearings, you promised to uphold the highest standards for vaccines,” Barrasso said. “Since then, I’ve grown deeply concerned.”

Chaos at the CDC

Background

The chaos at the CDC, including the firing of Monarez, was a flashpoint for both Democrats and Republicans. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed published shortly before the hearing, Monarez said she was fired after being told to preapprove recommendations made by a vaccine advisory panel whose members have expressed skepticism about vaccines.

Questions and Accusations

“Mr. Secretary, did you in fact do what Director Monarez said you did, which is tell her to just go along with vaccine recommendations, even if she didn’t think such recommendations aligned with scientific evidence?” asked Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the ranking member of the Finance Committee. (Earlier Thursday, Wyden, along with other Democratic senators, called on Kennedy to resign.) “No, I did not,” Kennedy said.

“So she’s lying today to the American people in The Wall Street Journal?” Wyden said. Kennedy responded: “Yes, sir.”

In a fiery exchange, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., also pressed Kennedy on why he dismissed Monarez. Kennedy said he told Monarez to resign because he asked her whether she was a “trustworthy person” and, he claims, she said no. “If you had an employee who told you they weren’t trustworthy, would you ask them to resign, senator?” Kennedy asked.

Conclusion

The Senate hearing highlighted deep concerns over Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s actions as Health Secretary, particularly his views on vaccines and the chaos at the CDC. The bipartisan pushback against his moves to limit vaccines underscores the gravity of the situation and the need for a science-based approach to public health policy.

FAQs

1. What were the main points of contention during the Senate hearing?

   • The main points of contention included Kennedy’s views on vaccines, particularly his belief that mRNA vaccines cause serious harm, and the chaos at the CDC following the firing of Director Susan Monarez.

2. Why was Susan Monarez fired according to her account?

   • Monarez was fired for refusing to endorse vaccine recommendations not supported by science, according to her account.

3. What is Operation Warp Speed, and how does it relate to Kennedy’s views?

   • Operation Warp Speed was a public-private program to quickly develop and distribute the first Covid shots. Kennedy’s criticism of vaccines and his past lawsuits attempting to restrict access to Covid vaccines contradict his praise for Operation Warp Speed.
4. What changes did the FDA make to Covid vaccine approval, and what were the implications?
   • The FDA narrowed its Covid vaccine approval to a smaller, high-risk group: people 65 and up and those with at least one medical condition that puts them at risk of severe illness. This change, along with the CDC stopping recommendations for pregnant people and healthy children, has significant implications for public health policy and access to vaccines.