Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced an intensely critical committee of senators from both parties on Thursday, in a hostile hearing that saw him come in for a grilling on many of his signature policies.
The hearing comes after weeks of controversy surrounding Kennedy’s actions as the nation’s top health official. Kennedy’s handling of vaccinations and his departmental firings have earned the ire of a bipartisan group of legislators. In early August, Kennedy cut $500 million in mRNA vaccine contracts. Three weeks later, Kennedy moved to fire Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez for reportedly failing to get in line with his vaccine restrictions, leading a rash of resignations of high-profile doctors and researchers.
Senator John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said he was “deeply concerned” with Kennedy’s anti-vaccine actions since becoming Health Secretary in February.
“In your confirmation hearings, you promised to uphold the highest standards for vaccines,” Barrasso said. “Since then, I’ve grown deeply concerned.”
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy trapped Kennedy with a line of questioning about President Donald Trump‘s 2020 COVID-19 response plan, Operation Warp Speed. The former physician said the rapid development of a vaccine for the then novel coronavirus was an “incredible accomplishment,” while calling for a Nobel Prize for Trump.
“We saved millions of lives globally, trillions of dollars. We reopened the economies,” Cassidy said.
Kennedy agreed with Cassidy’s assessment, calling the operation “phenomenal.” Then, Cassidy turned the tables on the secretary. He asked why Kennedy had claimed the vaccine “killed more people than COVID” and questioned his involvement in lawsuits to limit the use of the vaccine.
“You engaged in multiple lawsuits attempting to restrict access to the COVID vaccine. Again, it surprises me that you think so highly of Operation Warp Speed when, as an attorney, you attempted to restrict access,” Cassidy said.
“Is this a question, Sen. Cassidy, or is this a speech you don’t want me to answer?” Kennedy replied.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., used his time to point out multiple contradictory statements Kennedy made involving his role at the Department of Health and Human Services, his vaccine policies and his firing of Dr. Monarez. Tillis quoted Kennedy’s praise of Monarez earlier this year while asking about her ouster.
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“I don’t see how you go over four weeks from ‘public health expert with unimpeachable scientific credentials, a long time champion of MAHA values, caring and compassionate, and brilliant microbiologist,'” Tillis said, “to four weeks later, fire her…because she refused to fire people who worked for her.”
Democrats had their turn with Kennedy, as well, and took the opportunity to hurl insults and accuse Kennedy of gross incompetence. Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington called Kennedy a “charlatan,” and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren accused him of “lying” about his intentions during his confirmation hearing.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., questioned Kennedy’s intelligence during a heated discussion on the total number of COVID deaths and the effectiveness of the vaccine. When Kennedy refused to agree with Warner’s assertion that “a million Americans died from COVID,” the senator blew up.
“You have had this job for eight months and you don’t know the data about whether the vaccine saved lives,” he said. How can you be so ignorant?”
