Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced blistering criticism on Capitol Hill Tuesday, with one congresswoman accusing him of flat-out lying to win his job as Health and Human Services Secretary.
In a heated exchange during a House hearing on the HHS budget, Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Wash.), a pediatrician, tore into Kennedy over his decision to fire all 17 members of a key vaccine advisory panel—despite allegedly promising a top Republican senator he wouldn’t.
“Did you lie to Sen. Cassidy when you told him you would not change this panel of experts?” Schrier asked directly, referring to Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.).
Kennedy replied, “I made an agreement with him, and he and I talked many times about that agreement.” But he flatly denied saying he’d leave the committee untouched. “If he said that, that’s inaccurate,” Kennedy said.
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is responsible for making vaccine recommendations that affect millions of Americans, especially children. Schrier highlighted the real-life impact of Kennedy’s decision: “You know what’s great? There’s a vaccine that prevents [whooping cough],” she said, slamming his move to clean house as dangerous.
Schrier didn’t hold back.
“You lied to Sen. Cassidy,” she said. “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.”
Kennedy replaced the committee members with people he claimed had fewer conflicts of interest—but some of the replacements are known for spreading false information about vaccines and COVID-19.
Sen. Cassidy had been on the fence about confirming Kennedy, but ultimately voted yes, citing Kennedy’s personal assurances. “If confirmed, he will maintain the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes,” Cassidy said at the time. He also mentioned that Kennedy had promised to involve him in key hiring decisions.
Now, Cassidy appears blindsided. Just this week, he publicly called for the CDC to delay the ACIP’s upcoming meeting, warning that the new panel lacks proper experience and balance. “Wednesday’s meeting should not proceed,” Cassidy posted, adding the current group’s recommendations could be “viewed with skepticism.”
Schrier ended her remarks with a chilling warning: “I will lay all responsibility for every death from a vaccine-preventable illness at your feet.”
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