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The Hill
7 hours ago
- Health
- The Hill
RFK Jr grilled over transparency, spending cuts
The Big Story Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Appeared before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Tuesday to talk about the Trump administration's budget request for fiscal year 2026. © The Hill, Greg Nash During the hearing, Democratic lawmakers questioned Kennedy about his time at HHS Secretary. Here are some key takeaways: Retracts claims about Pallone: Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) criticized Kennedy for his lack of transparency despite his promise to bring 'radical transparency' to the agency. Pallone cited HHS's lack of response to congressional inquiries as well as the firing of the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Kennedy responded by pressing Pallone about previous comments he made in the 1990s about the presence of mercury in products approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Kennedy later retracted his comments about Pallone after Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo), ranking member of the health subcommittee, said he was 'impugning Mr. Pallone.' 'You lied to Sen. Cassidy': Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Wash) accused Kennedy of lying to Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La) to secure a vote during his confirmation hearing. Cassidy had reservations about Kennedy during the confirmation process but was ultimately convinced to vote for Kennedy after he pledged to 'maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes.' Kennedy denied making such a commitment. A spokesperson for Cassidy told The Hill 'as Senator Cassidy has said publicly, the commitment was about the ACIP process, not staffing.' Unaware of 'defend the spend': Kennedy did not seem to know anything about the 'defend the spend' initiative being enacted by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has paused grants at agencies like HHS pending manual review. DeGette told Kennedy that she had sent him a letter two months ago with questions about the initiative but never got a response from Kennedy. When she asked Kennedy directly during the hearing if he knew anything about the initiative he responded, 'about what?' HIV vaccine research Rep. Troy Carter (D-La) pressed Kennedy about the cancelation of funding for HIV prevention research, including trials testing potential vaccines for virus. Kennedy denied personally making the decision for HHS to cut funding for HIV research and asked Carter to 'show me one life' when he described the research as lifesaving. Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel, Joseph Choi and Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: Democrats try to reopen abortion conversation on Dobbs anniversary Democrats are looking to restart the abortion conversation around the third anniversary of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. That Supreme Court decision in June 2022 turned abortion into one of the most powerful positions Democrats could run on. They saw major victories on the issue in the 2022 midterms and Virginia's off-year elections in 2023, but the party largely underperformed up and down the ballot on … 5 testy exchanges from RFK Jr.'s House hearing Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparred with Democrats throughout a House budget hearing Thursday, with members accusing Kennedy of lying about changes to vaccine oversight, and Kennedy accusing lawmakers of being influenced by campaign contributions from Big Pharma. Kennedy appeared before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health to discuss the Trump administration's budget … House GOP moderates tell leadership they won't back Senate tax bill over Medicaid cuts More than a dozen House Republicans warned they won't support the Senate's version of the tax and spending bill because the proposed Medicaid cuts are too steep. Led by Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.), 15 other vulnerable Republicans sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) saying they support the Medicaid reforms in the House version of the legislation, but the … On Our Radar Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: In Other News Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Medicaid cuts in GOP megabill would hurt COPD patients The deep cuts to Medicaid outlined in President Trump's budget reconciliation bill would hurt Americans suffering from conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.) said Tuesday at The Hill's 'Matters of Life and Breath: Championing COPD Care' event. Around the Nation Local and state headlines on health care: What We're Reading Health news we've flagged from other outlets: What Others are Reading Most read stories on The Hill right now: House torpedoes Rep. Al Green's effort to impeach Trump over Iran strikes The House on Tuesday overwhelmingly torpedoed an effort by Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) to impeach President Trump over the U.S. strikes on Iran, underscoring … Read more Trump's 'both sides' approach to Israel, Iran comes into question President Trump's strategy of playing both sides is coming into question as he fumed over Israel and Iran's continued fighting while demanding peace … Read more What People Think Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
The Hill
8 hours ago
- Health
- The Hill
5 testy exchanges from RFK Jr's House hearing
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparred with Democrats throughout a House budget hearing on Thursday, with members accusing Kennedy of lying about changes to vaccine oversight, and Kennedy accusing lawmakers of being influenced by campaign contributions from Big Pharma. Kennedy appeared before the House Energy & Commerce subcommittee on Health to discuss the Trump administration's budget request for fiscal year 2026. But much of the hearing saw Democrats question Kennedy about his tenure so far as HHS secretary, with several blasting his actions in office. Kennedy struck a combative tone throughout the hearing, denying that he made any false promises during his confirmation process, defending changes to his agency's funding and structure, and seeking to turn the tables on claims of conflict of interest. Here were five key exchanges from Tuesday's hearing: Kennedy bristled when Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, questioned his claims of 'radical transparency' at his agency and ripped his changes to vaccine oversight. Pallone specifically cited HHS's lack of response to congressional inquiries as well as the recent firing of the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) as instances where Kennedy failed to practice transparency. 'What are you afraid of?' Pallone asked Kennedy. 'I mean, with regard to vaccines, are you just afraid of receiving public comments on proposals where you just think these are fringe views that are contrary to the views of most scientists?' Kennedy, who has in previous hearings taken issue with not having enough time to answer, used his time answering Rep. Neal Dunn's (R-Fla.) question to address Pallone. 'Congressman Pallone, 15 years ago, you and I met. You were, at that time, a champion of people who had suffered injuries from vaccines. You were very adamant about it. You were the leading member of Congress on that issue,' said Kennedy. 'Since then, you've accepted $2 million from pharmaceutical companies in contributions, more than any other member of this committee,' he continued. 'And your enthusiasm for supporting the old [Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices], which was completely rife and pervasive with pharmaceutical conflicts, seems to be an outcome of those contributions.' Kennedy was likely referring to Pallone having previously raised concerns in the '90s about the presence of mercury in products approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), ranking member of the health subcommittee, immediately raised a point order, saying Kennedy was 'impugning Mr. Pallone.' Subcommittee Chair Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) asked that the clock be paused. After a brief back and forth with committee members and staffers, he acknowledged it was a valid point of order and asked Kennedy to retract his remarks about Pallone. Kennedy retracted his words. Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) accused Kennedy of lying to Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who was the deciding vote in advancing Kennedy's nomination out of the Senate's health committee, which Cassidy chairs. Cassidy made it known that he was on the fence about confirming Kennedy even after two confirmation hearings. He was ultimately convinced by commitments he received from Kennedy, including that he would 'maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes.' According to Cassidy, Kennedy had also requested his input on hiring decisions at HHS. But earlier this month, Kennedy got rid of all 17 expert members of ACIP, replacing them with eight members who Cassidy has expressed skepticism about. The Louisiana senator called for an upcoming ACIP meeting to be delayed, noting how some new members 'lack experience studying new technologies such as mRNA vaccines, and may even have a preconceived bias against them.' 'I just want to tell you that for most of us sitting here right now, we believe Sen. Cassidy more than we trust you when it comes to vaccinations. It sounds to me like you gave him the answer he needed to hear in order to get his confirmation vote, and then as soon as you were secretary, you turned around and did whatever you want. You fired all 17 members,' Schrier said to Kennedy. 'You lied to Sen. Cassidy.' Kennedy denied ever making any such agreement and said he had not broken any promises to Cassidy. A spokesperson for the senator said Tuesday, 'As Senator Cassidy has said publicly, the commitment was about the ACIP process, not staffing.' Kennedy appeared to be unaware of the 'defend the spend' initiative being carried out by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has seen grants at agencies including HHS paused pending manual review. The process, meant to weed out grants that conflict with Trump's agenda, will reportedly compel grantees and officials to justify spending, according to The Washington Post. DeGette, the ranking member, told Kennedy, 'Hospitals, universities and community health organizations have told me and the other members lately that funds are stuck at HHS due to this so called 'defend the spend' initiative.' DeGette said she had questioned Kennedy about this initiative in a letter two months ago but never received a response. She asked if HHS had conducted a cost-benefit analysis on the 'defend the spend' actions. 'I don't know anything about the Washington Post article,' Kennedy said repeatedly. When DeGette asked if Kennedy knew anything about the initiative, Kennedy said, 'About what?' Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.) needled Kennedy on the canceling of funding for HIV prevention research, including several trials looking at potential vaccines against the virus. 'I'm perplexed why, in April, your administration shuttered nearly every unit in the CDC Division of HIV prevention and reassigned CDC top HIV official, Dr. Jonathan Mermin, given that CDC has historically been the cornerstone of domestic HIV prevention efforts. Do you know the percentage of all federal funding for HIV prevention provided by your agency?' Carter asked Kennedy. 'Congressman, we don't intend to cut HIV treatment. We are — part of the reorg is reassigning HIV treatment,' Kennedy began before Carter cut him off. 'What I'd like you to know is it's 91 percent of all federal funding for HIV prevention. 91 percent,' said Carter. Researchers looking into potential HIV vaccines were told earlier this year that funding would not be extended, with HHS reportedly telling them that currently available approaches were believed to be enough to eliminate HIV. Kennedy denied personally making the decision to cut funding. When Carter defended these studies as saving lives, Kennedy retorted, 'Show me one life.' 'I can show you a whole lot of lives if you got a minute. I'm insulted that you would suggest that there aren't lives that have been lost,' Carter said. 'People are dying every day, sir. And for you to say, show me one, there are people all over this country that are suffering the loss of their loved ones, sir.' Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) used his time to make the case that Kennedy's close advisors have significant conflicts of interest that went directly against his aims of promoting 'radical transparency' within his department. Auchincloss brought out displays laying out alleged conflicts of interest relating to HHS special government employee Calley Means, a close advisor to the secretary and brother to Trump's nominee for U.S. surgeon general, as well as DOGE health czar Brad Smith. He pointed out that Means is co-founder of the company Truemed, which sells fitness tools and supplements that can be bought with HSA/FSA funds, noting how the GOP's 'Big Beautiful Bill' and the MAHA agenda both call for the expansion of HSA use for health and wellness products. 'So that's a direct revenue stream for his company while he's working in the government,' said Auchincloss. When pressed by the congressman on whether he would require Means to sign financial disclosure forms, Kennedy insisted he had no power to force Means to do anything. Kennedy then asked if Auchincloss had accepted $400,000 from pharmaceutical companies. The secretary appeared to have a list of lawmakers and the funds they've received from the pharmaceutical industry, which he held up with a grin. 'The reason you know that is because I have financial disclosure forms and I'm asking him to submit the same thing,' Auchincloss shot back. Auchincloss further noted that Smith is chairman & CEO of Main Street Health, whose major investors include top health insurance companies that sell Medicare Advantage plans. 'They're his investors. He owns this company. They own him and while he was there he set the rules and reimbursements for CMS to hook up his investors,' said the congressman, asking Kennedy whether CMS should continue to do business with Main Street Health. Kennedy said, 'Are you saying we should cut Medicare Advantage?' 'Mr. Kennedy your dissembling and diversion distracts from the fact that you refuse to be radically transparent with either Mr. Means or Mr. Smith,' said Auchincloss.
USA Today
8 hours ago
- Health
- USA Today
RFK Jr. grilled by Congress over health spending cuts, vaccine overhaul
House members on June 24 grilled Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for roughly three hours during a hearing, sparring with the Health and Human Services Department chief over a range of topics. Kennedy testified before the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee on the health department's 2026 budget, with House members demanding answers about funding cuts to critical programs as well as his stances on vaccine oversight, addiction recovery, emergency abortions, HIV prevention and dietary guidelines. Plus, Kennedy faced pointed questions about the plans to merge several agencies − including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences − into the new Administration for a Healthy America, AHA. Kennedy also drew praise from House Republicans as he defended his moves as necessary to attack the nation's chronic disease epidemic and slow federal health spending, Here are five key moments from Kennedy's testimony. Pallone trades barbs with Kennedy Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, cited concerns by scientists about Kennedy's leadership during his opening months as the nation's top health official. "The thing that disturbs me most is this anti-science agenda," Pallone said. Pallone said most scientists and medical professionals believe Kennedy's views on vaccines are "dangerous and not supported by scientific evidence." "I just really think people are going to die as a result of your actions and Congressional Republican actions," Pallone said. Pallone added that Kennedy hasn't responded to his questions about workforce and program cuts even though he pledged to "radical transparency." Pallone added Kennedy has refused to take public input about vaccines, including his decision to overhaul a vaccine advisory panel, called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP. Kennedy said he fired ACIP members "who had conflicts with the pharmaceutical industry." He later added that when he met Pallone 15 years ago, the congressman was sympathetic to people who suffered vaccine injuries. "You were the leading member of Congress on that issue," Kennedy said. "Since then, you've accepted $2 million from pharmaceutical companies in contributions − more than any other member of this committee." Kennedy added: "And your enthusiasm for supporting the old ACIP committee, which is completely rife and pervasive with pharmaceutical conflicts, seems to be an outcome of those contributions." After other committee members raised concerns about his comments, Kennedy said he retracted his words. AOC takes aim at insurance giant UnitedHealthcare, RFK Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, asked Kennedy whether he was aware of reports that the Justice Department is investigating UnitedHealthcare over Medicare Advantage payments. "You are not aware that the Trump Department of Justice is investigating the largest insurance company in America?" Ocasio-Cortez said. Kennedy said he was not aware of any such investigation, which prompted AOC to point out he oversees the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. She then asked why his department approved more lucrative payments next fiscal year for Medicare plans administered by private insurance companies such as UnitedHealthcare. Louisiana Democrat Carter questions HIV funding cuts Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana, questioned Kennedy and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cuts to HIV research. Carter cited a report from the Association of American Medical Colleges that found deep cuts to National Institutes of Health-funded research of HIV and AIDS. Carter said one study, focusing on HIV and adolescents, was stopped due to funding cuts. Carter added that funding cuts halted HIV vaccine research. Kennedy countered that HHS has 27 departments focusing on HIV and that agency spends $7.5 billion per year. When Carter said HIV funding cuts slows momentum for life-saving research, Kennedy said, "show me one life." Carter responded, "I'm insulted that you would suggest that there aren't lives that have been lost. People are dying every day, sir." Kennedy: 'We must spend smarter' While several Democrats criticized him over the firings of federal employees and research funding cuts, Kennedy defended the moves as necessary. Several House Republicans echoed the need to direct funding in a way that better improves Americans' health. He said the U.S. is the "sickest developed nation" even though "we spend $4.5 trillion annually on health care − two to three times more per capita to comparable nations," he said. He said the budget maintains funding for Medicare and Medicaid, the federal health insurance programs for the elderly, disabled and low-income families. Although he did not address proposed Medicaid cuts in a House tax cut and spending bill that awaits a Senate vote, he said the HHS budget cuts are aimed at bureaucracy. He said the nation's spiraling spending on health care "will ransom our children to bankruptcy, servitude and disastrous health consequences." "We won't solve this problem by throwing more money at it," Kennedy said "We must spend smarter." Ohio Rep. Rulli praises RFK's focus on train derailment Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Ohio, lauded Kennedy for his focus on a 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The NIH will spend $10 million to fund a five-year study on the long-term health effects of people who lived in nearby communities. During the Biden administration, Rulli said health officials denied the potential for long-term health consequences from the train derailment. Kennedy said he visited East Palestine shortly after the crash and talked with people who complained of breathing, stomach and eye problems. "I promised I would do everything I could to help them," Kennedy said, who vowed to do "honest science" over the life of the grant. "We're going to fully disclose whatever we find and let the chips fall where they may," Kennedy said.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr. isn't hiding his plans for vaccines. Democrats say it will cost lives.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. isn't shading his big plans for the country's vaccine safety system anymore. The health secretary and longtime vaccine skeptic pledged during his Senate confirmation earlier this year to leave that alone. But at a House health panel hearing Tuesday, Kennedy said there was ample reason to worry some vaccines aren't safe and gave no ground to Democrats who pointed out that most scientists and public health experts vehemently disagree. 'How can you mandate – which effectively is what they do — these products to healthy children without knowing the risk profile?' Kennedy said in explaining why he earlier this month fired 17 members of a CDC vaccine advisory panel and replaced them with eight new members, many of them skeptical of vaccine safety. The hearing was officially about President Donald Trump's fiscal 2026 budget proposal for the Department of Health and Human Services, but Kennedy's testimony came after he rolled back guidance for healthy adults and children to get Covid shots and purged the outside vaccine experts. Some Democrats wanted to focus more on those decisions than Trump's plan to cut the HHS budget by a quarter. They pointed out that studies have consistently upheld vaccine safety and predicted Kennedy's moves would contribute to vaccine skepticism and cost lives. 'It's clear to me that the vast majority of scientists and medical professionals think your views on vaccines are dangerous,' said New Jersey's Frank Pallone, the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee. 'The science is not on your side. I just really think people are going to die as a result of your actions.' After that, things got hot. Kennedy accused Pallone of abandoning people injured by vaccines because of pharmaceutical company campaign contributions. The top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, Diana DeGette of Colorado, raised a point of order, saying Kennedy had impugned Pallone's integrity and needed to take back his accusation. Kennedy retracted it, but temperatures remained high. Questioned by Democrat Robin Kelly of Illinois about his decision to stop recommending Covid vaccination to pregnant women — a move criticized by doctors' groups — Kennedy didn't give an inch. 'We are no longer recommending it because there is no science supporting the recommendation,' he said, adding that 'study after study shows adverse effects.' One, he said, had found increased risk of miscarriage. Public health experts, including those HHS has cited, say that's not the case. But Kennedy argued that many of the experts on which the government has relied, including those he fired from the vaccine advisory panel, were 'rife with conflicts of interest' with drug companies and had 'committed multiple acts of malpractice.' The new panel of Kennedy-appointed advisers will begin their first meeting tomorrow at the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. They'll review a vaccine preservative, thimerosal, Kennedy has long wanted banned, Covid shots Kennedy has said are the 'deadliest vaccines ever made,' as well as the measles vaccine he has suggested causes autism. Kennedy offered none of the conciliatory tone on vaccines he did when he was seeking the top job at the Department of Health and Human Services or even in more recent congressional hearings, at which he half-heartedly endorsed measles vaccines. Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) accused Kennedy of lying to Sen. Bill Cassidy, the chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, about his intentions on vaccine policy. Cassidy was the deciding vote on Kennedy's confirmation at the committee level, and the Louisiana Republican said he agreed to vote for Kennedy only after he promised not to upend the nation's decision-making process on vaccines. Kennedy told Schrier he never promised Cassidy he wouldn't make changes to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and a Cassidy spokesperson told POLITICO the senator 'has said publicly that the agreement was about the ACIP process, not the staffing of ACIP.' But Cassidy, in a post to X last night, decried Kennedy's decision to replace the advisory panel members and said the new ones Kennedy had chosen didn't have the right experience for the job. He asked Kennedy to delay the meeting and appoint new members. Schrier, who's a pediatrician, described to Kennedy in graphic ways the effects of some vaccine-preventable diseases in children. 'They cough so hard, they vomit, they run out of air, they break ribs, and if you don't catch it before two weeks, antibiotics don't even work,' she said about the effects of whooping cough in older children. But some Republican lawmakers defended Kennedy for his willingness to challenge conventional wisdom to improve American health outcomes that are among the worst among wealthy countries. 'Thank you again for thinking outside the box. That's what it takes,' said Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) about Kennedy's support for drugmakers' incentives to develop drugs for rare diseases that affect children. Rep. Kat Cammack, another Florida Republican, said Kennedy was 'a disruptor,' adding: 'That's what we need in these times because so many people, especially in Congress, want to maintain the same broken status quo.' Kelly Hooper contributed reporting.
Politico
10 hours ago
- Health
- Politico
RFK Jr. isn't hiding his plans for vaccines. Democrats say it will cost lives.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. isn't shading his big plans for the country's vaccine safety system anymore. The health secretary and longtime vaccine skeptic pledged during his Senate confirmation earlier this year to leave that alone. But at a House health panel hearing Tuesday, Kennedy said there was ample reason to worry some vaccines aren't safe and gave no ground to Democrats who pointed out that most scientists and public health experts vehemently disagree. 'How can you mandate – which effectively is what they do — these products to healthy children without knowing the risk profile?' Kennedy said in explaining why he earlier this month fired 17 members of a CDC vaccine advisory panel and replaced them with eight new members, many of them skeptical of vaccine safety. The hearing was officially about President Donald Trump's fiscal 2026 budget proposal for the Department of Health and Human Services, but Kennedy's testimony came after he rolled back guidance for healthy adults and children to get Covid shots and purged the outside vaccine experts. Some Democrats wanted to focus more on those decisions than Trump's plan to cut the HHS budget by a quarter. They pointed out that studies have consistently upheld vaccine safety and predicted Kennedy's moves would contribute to vaccine skepticism and cost lives. 'It's clear to me that the vast majority of scientists and medical professionals think your views on vaccines are dangerous,' said New Jersey's Frank Pallone, the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee. 'The science is not on your side. I just really think people are going to die as a result of your actions.' After that, things got hot. Kennedy accused Pallone of abandoning people injured by vaccines because of pharmaceutical company campaign contributions. The top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, Diana DeGette of Colorado, raised a point of order, saying Kennedy had impugned Pallone's integrity and needed to take back his accusation. Kennedy retracted it, but temperatures remained high. Questioned by Democrat Robin Kelly of Illinois about his decision to stop recommending Covid vaccination to pregnant women — a move criticized by doctors' groups — Kennedy didn't give an inch. 'We are no longer recommending it because there is no science supporting the recommendation,' he said, adding that 'study after study shows adverse effects.' One, he said, had found increased risk of miscarriage. Public health experts, including those HHS has cited, say that's not the case. But Kennedy argued that many of the experts on which the government has relied, including those he fired from the vaccine advisory panel, were 'rife with conflicts of interest' with drug companies and had 'committed multiple acts of malpractice.' The new panel of Kennedy-appointed advisers will begin their first meeting tomorrow at the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. They'll review a vaccine preservative, thimerosal, Kennedy has long wanted banned, Covid shots Kennedy has said are the 'deadliest vaccines ever made,' as well as the measles vaccine he has suggested causes autism. Kennedy offered none of the conciliatory tone on vaccines he did when he was seeking the top job at the Department of Health and Human Services or even in more recent Congressional hearings, at which he half-heartedly endorsed measles vaccines. Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) accused Kennedy of lying to Sen. Bill Cassidy, the chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, about his intentions on vaccine policy. Cassidy was the deciding vote on Kennedy's confirmation at the committee level, and the Louisiana Republican said he agreed to vote for Kennedy only after he promised not to upend the nation's decision-making process on vaccines. Kennedy told Schrier he never promised Cassidy he wouldn't make changes to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and a Cassidy spokesperson told POLITICO the senator 'has said publicly that the agreement was about the ACIP process, not the staffing of ACIP.' But Cassidy, in a post to X last night, decried Kennedy's decision to replace the advisory panel members and said the new ones Kennedy had chosen didn't have the right experience for the job. He asked Kennedy to delay the meeting and appoint new members. Schrier, who's a pediatrician, described to Kennedy in graphic ways the effects of some vaccine-preventable diseases in children. 'They cough so hard, they vomit, they run out of air, they break ribs, and if you don't catch it before two weeks, antibiotics don't even work,' she said about the effects of whooping cough in older children. But some Republican lawmakers defended Kennedy for his willingness to challenge conventional wisdom to improve American health outcomes that are among the worst among wealthy countries. 'Thank you again for thinking outside the box. That's what it takes,' said Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) about Kennedy's support for drugmakers' incentives to develop drugs for rare diseases that affect children. Rep. Kat Cammack, another Florida Republican, said Kennedy was 'a disruptor,' adding: 'That's what we need in these times because so many people, especially in Congress, want to maintain the same broken status quo.' Kelly Hooper contributed reporting.
