— Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced intense questioning at a Senate Finance Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., where senators challenged his handling of vaccine policy, personnel changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and statements about the national COVID response, producing shouting matches, calls for resignation and renewed scrutiny of agency decisions.
Key Takeaways
- Kennedy defended a recent CDC reorganization and his firing of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), calling the changes necessary.
- Senators from both parties pressed Kennedy on vaccine guidance, data integrity and the federal response to COVID-19.
- More than 20 medical societies called for Kennedy’s resignation; former CDC director Susan Monarez wrote that her ouster weakened public-health protections.
- Contentious exchanges included disputed claims about masks, vaccine effectiveness and the number of COVID deaths in the U.S.
- Some Republican physicians on the committee, including Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Barrasso, voiced measured criticism despite previously supporting Kennedy.
- Concerns were raised that policy changes could limit access to COVID vaccines for some adults and affect insurance coverage.
Verified Facts
At the Sept. 4 Senate Finance Committee hearing, Secretary Kennedy defended personnel moves at the CDC and the removal of ACIP, the panel that issues vaccine recommendations. He said those steps were needed to restore the agency’s credibility and to address alleged conflicts of interest on the advisory committee.
Senators confronted Kennedy about public guidance on masks and vaccines and about changes to the COVID booster recommendation announced the prior week: the booster is no longer approved for healthy adults under 65, though people with high-risk conditions remain eligible. Lawmakers warned that altering CDC recommendations can affect whether people can obtain vaccines at pharmacies or whether insurers will cover doses.
Committee members repeatedly pressed Kennedy on data and scientific conclusions. Sen. Mark Warner asked whether Kennedy accepted that more than 1.2 million Americans have died from COVID; Kennedy said he did not know the exact number and cited what he described as “data chaos” at the CDC. The committee noted that CDC mortality figures are publicly available.
Multiple senators — including Democrats Maggie Hassan, Ron Wyden, Elizabeth Warren and others — challenged Kennedy’s assertions and called attention to recent departures and firings at federal health agencies. Some lawmakers directly asked him to resign; others sought to place documents and statements on the record.
Context & Impact
The hearing comes eight months into Kennedy’s tenure as HHS secretary, after an unusually active reshaping of agency leadership and vaccine policy. Those moves have prompted alarm among many public-health experts who warn the changes could weaken surveillance, vaccine uptake and rapid response as the nation enters a peak respiratory illness season.
Changes to CDC advisory structures and vaccine recommendations have practical consequences: if a vaccine is not recommended by the nation’s top public-health agency, state implementation, pharmacy availability and insurance reimbursement can be affected. Several senators highlighted that distinction when pressing Kennedy for clarity on who remains eligible for COVID boosters.
Some Republican senators who previously supported Kennedy maintained a critical tone. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician and earlier confirmation vote, praised aspects of Operation Warp Speed when questioned about vaccine development but pressed Kennedy on apparent contradictions between celebrating past vaccine efforts and current restrictions on vaccine access. Sen. John Barrasso raised concerns about measles outbreaks and the need to ensure decisions are science-based, not political.
“I’m making them understand that everything that we say is true,”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., HHS Secretary
Official Statements
More than 20 medical societies called for the secretary’s resignation, citing concerns about public-health leadership and vaccine protections.
Medical societies (collective statements)
Unconfirmed or Disputed Claims
- Kennedy’s assertion that the federal government “lied about everything” regarding masks and vaccines; public records show evolving guidance and differing statements, but the broad claim of deliberate lying is disputed.
- Claims that data on COVID deaths are not available; CDC maintained publicly reported mortality figures showing more than 1.2 million U.S. deaths from COVID.
- Allegations that replacing ACIP members was solely due to conflicts of interest; the administration cited conflicts, while critics say many replacements hold vaccine-skeptical views.
Bottom Line
The Sept. 4 hearing exposed deep bipartisan anxiety about recent HHS and CDC decisions under Secretary Kennedy. Lawmakers pressed for clearer data, firmer evidence that changes will not reduce vaccine access or weaken disease control, and assurances that scientific review will guide future actions. Expect continued oversight, document requests and public debate as agencies implement the secretary’s directives.