Both Democrats and Republicans put Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the hot seat Thursday during an intense Senate hearing about his performance, some calling for his resignation or firing amid recent chaos at the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the ousting of its director Susan Monarez, and new uncertainty about vaccine accessibility.
Under Kennedy's watch, NPR reported, the health agency "cancelled hundreds of millions of dollars in research funding on mRNA technology for future vaccines, and the Food and Drug Administration largely limited access to the COVID shots to people at high risk of complications from COVID or those over 65."
Kennedy also "fired the CDC's entire 17-member Advisory Panel on Immunization Practices."
Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Dr. John Barrosso of Wyoming praised President Donald Trump for the Operation Warp Speed program he led to create vaccines for COVID-19 during his first term. But they criticized Kennedy, saying that limiting vaccine access "could put Americans at risk and reverse decades of progress." Ron Johnson of Wisconsin defended the secretary, "calling the senators' pointed questions 'abuse' and lauding Kennedy for his attempts to overhaul health agencies."
Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock made a pitch for Trump to fire Kennedy, but first acknowledged the impact on Georgians, who are dealing with hundreds of CDC jobs terminated, others reinstated and potentially thousands hanging in the balance amid layoffs and lawsuits.
He also said the community around the CDC is grieving the loss of DeKalb County police officer David Rose, who was killed in the Aug. 8 shooting which may have been motivated by anger about COVID vaccines, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
"Less than a month ago, we received the heartbreaking news that a gunman opened fire at the CDC campus," Warnock told Kennedy. "The shots hit buildings on campus and at least 180 places, narrowly missing the CDC's day care center. Law enforcement recovered nearly 500 shell casings. ... Secretary Kennedy, I assume you are aware of these disturbing reports of the gunman's motives?"
Warnock and Kennedy sparred, with Warnock asking, "Did you say that the CDC was 'the most corrupt federal agency in the history of the world'?"
"Not the history of the world, but definitely HHS," Kennedy responded. "I did not say that, but I did say it's the most corrupt agency at HHS. And maybe the government."
At the end of his allotted time, Warnock told Kennedy, "I think that you ought to resign. And if you don't resign, the President of the United States, who put forward Operation Warp Speed, which worked, should fire you."
Sen. Jon Ossoff did not participate in the Senate hearing but demanded RFK Jr.'s resignation during a press conference Thursday in front of the nation's Capitol.
"The destruction of the CDC in Georgia, the systematic dismantling of American public health, is putting children and families at risk every single day," Ossoff said. "This is chaos. It is out of control."
Saying Kennedy has a "radical and incoherent ideology," Ossoff defended the CDC, "not just because those who work there are my constituents, but because it is the most important disease-fighting agency, not just in the country, but in the world."
At a later press conference with Georgia media after the Senate hearing Thursday, Warnock reiterated his request for Kennedy's firing and responded to the governors' announcement that California, Oregon and Washington would band together to provide vaccine access. He made no indication that Georgia would do the same.
"I'm grateful for the efforts of my friends on the West Coast," Warnock said. "They've got world-class scientists there, but we have world-class scientists at the CDC. And quite frankly, Americans sitting at home should be deeply worried, not only about the short term, what this is doing to our health, but in the long term, with this all-out assault. We can't have piecemeal public health."
