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The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
RFK fires CDC's ACIP members: What does that mean for Americans?
Noel Brewer, a professor at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, had been on the panel, called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), since July 2024 before the firings blindsided him. "It's surprising... shocking," he said. "None of us had any idea that this was coming, so it came out of the blue and it was not something that's ever been done before with ACIP." Kennedy plans to replace the fired members with new people "currently under consideration," according to a statement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy's decision marks a reversal from what a key Republican senator said the Trump Cabinet member had promised during his confirmation hearings earlier this year. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, said Kennedy had promised to maintain the advisory committee's current composition. "If confirmed, he will maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes," Cassidy said. In a June 9 post on X, Cassidy said he's in contact with Kennedy to ensure that ACIP won't "be filled up with people who know nothing about vaccines." Kennedy says "a clean sweep" will "reestablish public confidence in vaccine science," and some who follow the Make America Healthy Again movement praise his decision, but former health officials and medical experts worry the firings will sow more distrust in the public health system and impede access to vaccines. "An important part of our social contract is trust and introducing unnecessary chaos and disruption violates that trust," said Cathy Bradley, dean of the Colorado School of Public Health. Vaccine guidance: RFK Jr. fires entire 17-member CDC vaccine board. Here are the vaccines they recommended What does ACIP do? After the Food and Drug Administration approves a vaccine, ACIP reviews the scientific evidence to create guidance on who should receive it based on age, preexisting medical conditions and other factors. The CDC director approves these recommendations, which shape guidance from other medical organizations and insurance coverage. In an op-ed published by the Wall Street Journal, Kennedy said the committee has been "plagued with persistent conflicts of interest," citing evidence from 25 years ago. Brewer said the committee has since strengthened its vetting process, which typically takes a year from nomination to member status. "All ACIP members go through a vetting for conflicts of interest," he said. "We're not allowed to have them during our time, we're not allowed to accept money from drug companies for consulting or grants, we're not allowed to sue them." Members are required to disclose any conflicts of interest, which are published on the CDC website. Meetings are also open to the public, typically livestreamed on the CDC website, and are open for public comment. "It's a very open and transparent process which leads to a body of individuals with different types of expertise," said Dr. Richard Besser, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the CDC. "Pulling information from decades ago to disparage the ACIP was ludicrous." Can Americans still get vaccinated? Vaccine guidance regarding all the shots recommended for adults and children remains in place, for now, which means eligible patients should have access to these vaccines. But Dr. Tina Tan, a pediatric infectious disease physician and president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said that may change as Kennedy appoints new members to the advisory committee. She fears the administration could walk back certain vaccine recommendations, similar to how Kennedy dropped COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women on May 27. Changing vaccine recommendations could impact how private insurance companies cover certain vaccines, Tan said, which could deter Americans from getting vaccinated and fuel outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. ACIP also determines which vaccines are included in the Vaccines for Children program, which provides vaccines to children whose parents or guardians may not be able to afford them. Changes made to the program would be a "great concern for public health," Brewer said. It's also unclear if COVID-19 vaccines will be available in the fall, he said. The committee met in April to discuss the COVID-19 shot, among other vaccines, but Kennedy canceled the vote that would have made recommendations for the fall. ACIP is scheduled to meet again between June 25 and June 27 with its new committee members, according to the HHS statement. More details: RFK Jr. fires entire CDC vaccine advisory panel What parents should know Doctors and public health experts urge parents to continue discussing vaccine options with their pediatricians and primary care providers. Tan also said professional organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Medical Association are working together to ensure that children have access to vaccines despite possible changes to the recommendations. She encourages parents to look to these national organizations for guidance and support, and to vaccinate their children if they're not up to date with their shots. "They need to get up to date now, given the fact that access to vaccines at this moment shouldn't be an issue," she said. "The American public needs to understand that the federal agencies that were in place before... they're not going to be the same now." Adrianna Rodriguez can be reached at adrodriguez@
The Herald Scotland
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Republican senators slam Trump tax bill, say they could 'stop' it
Johnson predicted in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union" that the number of Senate dissenters may be enough to tank the proposal. More: Illegal border crossings have plunged. DHS still says it needs billions to build a wall. "I think we have enough to stop the process until the president gets serious about the spending reduction and reducing the deficit," Johnson said May 25. Trump has urged Republicans to fall in line behind the bill that makes good on several of his 2024 campaign promises, including a temporary tax break on tips. Republicans control the upper chamber by a 53-47 margin, but several Senate conservatives aren't convinced. "This is our moment," Johnson told CNN's Jake Tapper. "We have witnessed an unprecedented level of increased spending ... This is our only chance to reset that to a reasonable pre-pandemic level." The Wisconsin senator called for a different approach that tackles the country's deficit before he could come on board. And Johnson isn't the only Republican senator knocking the Trump-backed legislation. That's because the bill also includes a $4 trillion increase in the debt ceiling, a measure that must be approved in order to prevent a catastrophic default on the country's debt that could hit sometime in August. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, said the raise is a serious hold up for him. "I still would support the bill, even with wimpy and anemic cuts," he told Fox News Sunday May 25, "if they weren't going to explode the debt. The problem is, the math doesn't add up." "It's just, you know, not a serious proposal," he added. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, followed Paul on the Sunday morning show, and when asked by host Shannon Bream about the senator's criticism, Johnson said he agrees "wholeheartedly." "I love his conviction, and I share it," Johnson said. "The national debt is the greatest threat to our national security, and deficits are a serious problem." But, he added, "You don't turn an aircraft carrier on a dime. It takes a mile of open ocean. And so, it took us decades to get into this situation. This is a big step to begin to turn that aircraft carrier." Contributing: Riley Beggin
USA Today
20-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump lashes out at Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie: 'He should be voted out of office'
Trump lashes out at Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie: 'He should be voted out of office' Show Caption Hide Caption Republicans to reveal if they will advance tax hike on the wealthy Republicans in Congress are expected to reveal legislation this week that could break with decades of party orthodoxy. WASHINGTON - One of the few Republican lawmakers willing to buck Donald Trump received the cold shoulder from the president on Tuesday. Trump visited Capitol Hill to rally support among House Republicans over a massive bill that would make the 2017 tax cuts permanent, boost defense funding and implement new requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, among other things. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, is looking to pass the bill this week. But Massie, a staunch fiscal conservative, has criticized the bill, suggesting on X that it would reinforce 'Biden levels of spending' and cause 'bigger deficits.' When asked about Massie's suggestion, Trump quickly fired back. 'No, I don't think Thomas Massie understands government,' Trump told reporters. 'I think he's a grandstander, frankly… I think he should be voted out of office.' Massie told reporters that he was not bothered after Trump called him out by name, according to Politico. He also wrote on X, "I usually don't talk about private conversations in our GOP meetings but the rumors are true… President Trump said that although I have similar hair to @RandPaul , he thinks mine is better." Massie has broken from his party in the past. In March, he opposed a Republican-crafted spending bill to avert a government shutdown. Trump called for Massie to be primaried then. 'I will lead the charge against him,' Trump wrote in Truth Social at the time. 'He's just another GRANDSTANDER, who's too much trouble, and not worth the fight.' Massie wrote on X then, 'POTUS is spending his day attacking me and Canada. The difference is Canada will eventually cave."
The Herald Scotland
18-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
JD Vance, brawler for Trump, avoids Harris and Pence mistakes
He lectured Europe, berated Ukraine's president, pressured Greenland, came out swinging on behalf of President Donald Trump's most controversial nominees and found himself tangled up in a controversial Signal group chat that led to the ouster of a top national security official. More: VP Vance, who Pope Leo XIV previously criticized, to attend pope's first mass in Vatican City Allies, strategists and even some Democrats say Vance's assertive approach could pay off if he runs for president in 2028. "He is as directly engaged and active as any vice president that I can remember," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, told USA TODAY. In an administration currently running the lowest early-months public opinion rating in modern history, however, Vance's forcefulness carries long-term risk. More: JD Vance says war between India and Pakistan will be 'none of our business' Vance is cultivating the Republican base, which he'll need to win primaries and raise money in 2028. But he's also tying himself to policies that could be considered "missteps" or "botches," says Joel Goldstein, a professor emeritus at Saint Louis University and one of the foremost historians of the vice presidency. "He recently dropped the Ohio State trophy, and you know, the question is whether that will be a metaphor for his vice presidency," Goldstein said of the awkward April incident in which Vance fumbled his alma mater's championship hardware. At 40, Vance is the youngest vice president since Richard Nixon. Vance is the first millennial to stand a heartbeat from the presidency. His public profile has set him apart from recent predecessors, whose efforts not to overshadow their bosses cast public doubt on their accomplishments when they sought the presidency. Such was the case for Mike Pence, whose defining characteristic in the 2024 GOP primary became his refusal to help Trump overturn the results of the 2020 election, and Kamala Harris, who abruptly took the mantle of the Democratic nomination from Joe Biden in 2024 and spent much of the short campaign reintroducing herself to the country. Harris struggled with visibility and image issues throughout her vice presidency, not to mention Biden's decision to task her with the no-win assignment of addressing the root causes of illegal migration. But Vance is in a unique position compared with recent vice presidents, said Democratic strategist Ashley Etienne, who was communications director to Harris during much of her first year as vice president. Vance's boss is term-limited by the Constitution, and that gives him a different mandate, she said. "He is the standard bearer for the MAGA movement, which demands he is aggressively out front reinforcing and expanding their base," Etienne said. "He knows the parameters, Trump's history and temperament, so he's going to move with caution and intentionality to position himself." Etienne added: "It's smart strategy." Vance settles in as vice president It was four days after the inauguration. Vance and his family had just moved into the vice president's residence at the Naval Observatory in northwest DC, living among unpacked boxes. The new vice president and his wife, Usha, were hosting their first official dinner guests: Johnson, the House speaker, and his wife, Kelly, when Vance received a call. Pete Hegseth's nomination for defense secretary was in trouble in the Senate. Vance would have to cast the first tie-breaking vote of his vice presidency after three Republican defections. "He apologized, and we said, 'Go, man, go,'" recalled Johnson, who stayed behind and had dessert with Kelly and Usha. Although he'd only been in office for a few days Vance was already accustomed to saving Trump's troubled nominees on Capitol Hill, and has been doing so ever since. More: Marco's moment: Rubio in the hot seat amid Trump team shakeup Vance went to bat for Trump's first nominee for attorney general, the scandal-scarred Matt Gaetz. He gave opening remarks at a hearing to confirm defense policy chief Elbridge Colby, whose foreign policy views were attacked by some Republicans as out of step with the administration. He also threw his support behind ousted national security adviser Michael Waltz. Vance argued to Fox News that the shakeup, which involved Trump making Waltz his nominee for United Nations ambassador, could be seen as a promotion. Vance's ability to articulate Trump's vision to his former Senate colleagues and the public has made him a major asset, his allies say. "JD is fantastic at really sharing a positive message about the Trump agenda, the Trump team, and he's been one of the most effective advocates," said Ohio Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed to fill Vance's old seat. Since leaving the Senate in January, Vance has continued to be a regular at the GOP's weekly policy luncheon. Often, guests make brief remarks, take a few questions and leave, said West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, the GOP's Policy Committee chair. More: A 2028 Rubio rivalry? Nothing to see here, says JD Vance But Vance stayed to dine with senators at a recent meeting, she said. "He's always welcome, and we always look forward to it, because we know he's very close to what's going on. He's not a vice president in a ceremonial role only." Vance has lent a helping hand with big issues such as securing an India-Pakistan ceasefire. Trump also asked him to broker an agreement to save Tik-Tok. The latter arrangement has floundered amid a trade war with China and was not part of a deal to temporarily bring down tariffs last week. While he is still early in his tenure, polls show Vance's approach may be helping his image. His favorability rating was lower than Trump's in a March poll taken by NBC. Yet, more Americans approve of him now than they did last September after comments he made about "childless cat ladies" resurfaced and Democrats tagged him as "weird." Still, Vance's eagerness to amplify Trump's message on hot button issues such as Russia's war against Ukraine and his direct involvement in pushing through controversial nominations will make it harder for the vice president to claim ignorance if public opinion goes south, Goldstein, the historian, said. "It's gonna be hard for him to say, you know, 'I wasn't involved,' or to distance himself," Goldstein said. More: JD Vance's half brother Cory Bowman will face off against Democrat in Cincinnati mayor race In a statement, Taylor Van Kirk, press secretary for Vance, said: "The Vice President has approached his role with a clear focus: advancing the President's America First agenda, because that's the right thing to do for the American people and for the country." There's a close tie between Trump's perceived success and Vance's political future, anyway, said Johnson, who said that Vance, as vice president, "is probably the front runner for the party's nomination next time around." "I think he'll be - I hope he'll be fairly evaluated on his own merits," the House speaker added. Lessons learned in early days Since becoming vice president, Vance has repeatedly run into trouble on foreign policy. Vance's hectoring message to Europe in February on his first trip abroad landed like a lead balloon with American allies. His next foreign trip, to Greenland, angered Denmark. After Vance's wife Usha received blowback for a planned solo visit to attend a dogsled race, amid Trump's vocal push to annex the territory, the vice president and his team pivoted. They recast the trip as a national security focused one, with Vance defending Trump's insistence that the U.S. may need to use military force against NATO ally Denmark to acquire Greenland. That same week, the explosive Signal chat became public, in which Waltz accidentally added a journalist to discussions of an impending military strike. In a largely overlooked comment, Vance told his colleagues he disagreed with Trump over striking Houthi militants. The vice president understands it's not the "JD Vance show, it's the Donald Trump presidency," Capito said in April. "You see him every now and then diverge an opinion but not very frequently," the West Virginia senator said. "And I think maybe he did early on, and I think he probably learned that's probably not what he should be doing." Vance brawled with Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during an Oval Office meeting at the end of February. He called Zelenskyy disrespectful and told him better diplomacy could have prevented the conflict. Trump joined in to scold the visiting leader. But after a Munich Security Conference meeting in early May, where Vance told attendees the U.S. was moving beyond its push for a 30-day ceasefire in the war, Trump seemed to contradict his vice president. Trump offered to mediate the conflict and renewed his call for an unconditional ceasefire. Van Kirk, the vice president's spokeswoman, Vance and Trump "are aligned on all issues, especially on wanting the killing to stop in these overseas conflicts." Vance has done a good job of staying aligned with the president, said Marc Short, a close friend and former chief of staff to Pence. "I don't think it's been proven yet as to whether or not the MAGA coalition is transferable, but I think that there's no doubt that he stayed close to the president's policy positions, so that should benefit him regardless," Short said. The key to winning over MAGA? Staying close to Trump On Inauguration Day in 2017, Trump filed for reelection. Yet, four months into his second term, Trump had declined to name Vance his political successor. He offered up his secretary of state and interim national security adviser, Marco Rubio, alongside Vance as a potential heir during an NBC interview earlier this month. "You look at Marco, you look at JD Vance, who's fantastic," Trump said. "I could name 10, 15, 20 people right now." Vance insisted in a Fox News interview that he was not bothered, and he does not have a rivalry with Rubio. "The president's not going to name a successor 110 days into his administration, nor should he," Vance said. "I can see myself doing a really good job for the next 1,100 days, and then the American people can figure it out from there," the he said. While his national approval ratings are fair, Vance's political stock has certainly improved with Trump loyalists. "It's probably created some more challenges among people who are either independents or Democrats or Republicans who don't consider themselves part of the MAGA crowd," Whit Ayres, a GOP pollster said. But like other strategists, he said Vance's future "is completely tied up with Donald Trump's." In the end, Vance's odds of success in 2028 may be influenced by an audience of one. Contributing: Zac Anderson
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Is Trump delivering a State of the Union address? Here's what to know about upcoming speech in Tennessee
President Donald Trump will address Congress Tuesday night, but it's technically not the State of the Union address. He will be addressing a joint session of Congress for the first time in this term on Tuesday, March 4, after House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, invited Trump to make an address this week via a letter. 'It is my distinct honor and great privilege to invite you to address a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, in the Chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives, to share your America First vision for our legislative future," read the letter provided to USA TODAY. Media reports indicate that Trump is expected to talk about the first two months of his second and last term, along with discussing plans for the next four years. Pause in aid: Trump pauses aid to Ukraine | The Excerpt Typically, the State of the Union address occurs during the first few months of the year and is a time for presidents to deliver an annual report to Congress informing them about the state of play in the U.S., including goals, accomplishments, and plans for the year ahead. It is also usually broadcasted for everyone in the country to watch. But usually there isn't one that happens just after a president takes office. Trump's address on March 4, is not considered a true State of the Union address due to him only being in office for a less than two months. It isn't the first time a president has done an address like this either. Ronald Regan also addressed Congress just months after being voted into office. He was the first and since then other presidents have given a similar address, according to the American Presidency Project, a non-profit and non-partisan website created and managed by the University of California in 1999. Here's which other presidents have had these speeches: Ronald Regan (Republican) - 1981 George H.W. Bush (Republican) - 1989 Bill Clinton - (Democrat) 1993 George W. Bush - (Republican) 2001 Barack Obama - (Democrat) 2009 Donald Trump - (Republican ) 2017 Joe Biden - (Democrat) 2021 The State of the Union Address is written into the Constitution, but it wasn't something that always happened. The first two presidents of the United States, George Washington and John Adams, both gave annual addresses to Congress, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. But when Thomas Jefferson took office, he stopped the practice and chose to write the address instead. It wasn't until 1913 when the verbal practice was brought back by former President Woodrow Wilson. At this time, Wilson shifted the focus of it to cover the nation's priorities, achievements and future legislative plans. The first televised address was former President Harry Truman's in 1947. Trump is set to speak to Congress at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT on Tuesday. USA TODAY will livestream the speech on its YouTube channel and you can also watch it below. Trump's speech will also be covered by multiple other media outlets including ABC, Fox News, NPR, PBS and more. USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Is Trump giving a State of the Union address? Not quite. How to watch
