Wyden Unveils Comprehensive Account of Robert Kennedy's Chaotic Appearance Before Finance Committee

Wyden Unveils Comprehensive Account of Robert Kennedy's Chaotic Appearance Before Finance Committee

Report Details Barrage of Misrepresentations, Lies and Denials Put Forth by HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy

Text of the Report (PDF)

Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released a report reviewing the testimony of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a hearing earlier this month, where he made numerous inconsistent, confusing or outright false statements about vaccines as well as the manner in which Dr. Susan Monarez, the recently-confirmed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was fired several weeks ago.

"The American people have reason to be concerned that critical preventive care that saves lives is being stripped away by Secretary Kennedy and his department without clinical or scientific justification," Wyden said. "My hope is that this report will support immediate Congressional action related to this matter. Congress must fulfill its constitutional duties as an oversight body and get to the bottom of the allegations against Secretary Kennedy before more people are hurt by his actions."

The first part of this report reviews Kennedy's testimony related to the firing of Dr. Monarez and other matters related to the CDC. The report puts Kennedy's testimony in context with publicly reported information. The second part of the report reviews Kennedy's testimony related to vaccines and puts it in context with his past statements, evidence related to his claims, and his actions as secretary.

The allegations against Kennedy are gravely serious and bear directly on the health and safety of the American people. In just a few days, CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) could vote to restrict access to additional vaccines that prevent Hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox, in addition to making more changes related to the COVID-19 vaccines. Dr. Monarez is no longer there to reject these recommendations if they are not supported by science.

The full report can be found here.

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