Representative John W. Mannion (NY-22) Presses Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy on Claims about Autism and Cuts to Essential Programs for Individuals with[...]

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Representative John W. Mannion (NY-22) today pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. over his offensive and unscientific claims about individuals with autism, while warning that Medicaid cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill will further harm students with disabilities and the schools that serve them.

Watch the video here.

Partial Transcript:

Representative Mannion: I thank you for being here today. I have various concerns about the direction of HHS under your leadership, but today I'd like to focus on some particularly harmful attacks made on the disability community.

Your actions and statements, Mr. Secretary, have contributed to real fears, anxieties and consequences for millions of families. I know some of my colleagues have raised these with you as well, but I want to again point out some of the statements that I think reveal a bias and a credibility issue. You previously said that people with autism, and again, I acknowledge your previously in this hearing that these are the most profoundly autistic individuals, but the impact it has - statements that they will never hold a job, never play baseball, never write a poem, never go out on a date, or never use a toilet unassisted. Those are incredibly impactful. Additional statements that individuals with autism and the epidemic that exists is catastrophic to our country and destroys families.

As these words weren't insulting enough, you've also insulted the intelligence of American people by linking autism to vaccines, Tylenol and circumcision. Mr. Kennedy, not long ago, any of these claims would have been disqualifying for someone in your position, especially given a lack of scientific or medical training on your part. These would have prompted dismissal, and we would have dismissed these statements as ridiculous and unverified theories. But in this administration, falsehoods are routinely given a platform and are perpetuated. Incompetence is also often rewarded, as is loyalty, and there's very rarely accountability for statements such as this.

Mr. Secretary, as a science teacher at a college level for almost 30 years and the former chairman of the Disabilities Committee in the New York State Senate, I have worked intensively with individuals with disabilities and their families understanding their concerns. So that experience goes back a long time. And as a country, we have made massive strides in improving disability policy. But now, under your watch, we're moving in the wrong direction.

A $1 trillion cut to Medicaid that you have let happen and have tried to downplay is dismantling many important programs, including the Administration for Community Living at HHS, which oversees programs supporting senior and individuals with disabilities. And now you and Secretary McMahon seem to be working behind closed doors to dismantle the Department of Education and expand HHS' role in key educational programs.

Unlike you, career public servants at the Department of Education have worked for decades to develop expertise, expand educational opportunity, and protect the rights of students with disabilities. I cannot believe that we are talking about shifting critical programs that are enshrined into law at the Department of Education over to HHS. In lieu of going over on my comments, I will end my time here. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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