Congressman Krishnamoorthi Questions Witnesses on Dangerous Failures of the Trump Administration's 'MAHA' Agenda

WASHINGTON - Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) today questioned witnesses during a Democratic shadow hearing titled "Abandoning Americans to Disease: The Trump Administration's Reckless Crusade Is Harming America's Health," examining how public health cuts, vaccine misinformation, failures to address toxic heavy metals in baby food, and weakened anti-vaping efforts have undermined the Trump Administration's promise to "Make America Healthy Again."

Questioning former CDC official Dr. Daniel Jernigan, Krishnamoorthi highlighted the consequences of weakening public health infrastructure and undermining confidence in vaccines amid outbreaks of New World Screwworm and whooping cough.

"And now declining vaccination rates have helped fuel the nation's largest whooping cough outbreak in over a decade. In fact, just last year there were more than 28,000 confirmed cases of whooping cough, resulting in the deaths of 16 individuals. That's not making America healthier again, right? So, whether it's Screwworm, measles, whooping cough, or other public health crises, the lesson is the same: when we weaken our nation's public health systems, we are making Americans hurt again. That's the new MAHA-not making them healthier."

Krishnamoorthi also pressed witnesses on the Administration's failure to establish enforceable limits for toxic heavy metals in baby food despite repeated promises from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to address the issue. During the hearing, Krishnamoorthi highlighted his bipartisan, bicameral Baby Food Safety Act, legislation that would establish enforceable limits for toxic heavy metals in baby food and strengthen testing requirements.

"This is exactly why I introduced, on a bicameral basis, the Baby Food Safety Act, which would establish enforceable limits for toxic heavy metals in baby food and strengthen the testing requirements for those metals. If Secretary Kennedy is serious about stopping what he calls the 'mass poisoning' of American children, he will actually implement regulations with regard to toxic heavy metals in food and endorse this particular piece of legislation."

Turning to youth vaping, Krishnamoorthi questioned witnesses about reports that the CDC office responsible for monitoring youth vaping was largely dismantled while the FDA has begun authorizing flavored vaping products. He also questioned witnesses about reports that the President's PAC received a $5 million donation from Reynolds shortly after the Administration moved to deregulate flavored vaping products.

"Flavored vapes hook young people. Plain and simple. With most teens reporting that their first vaping experience was with a flavored product. And guess what? Just one week after the Administration moved to deregulate flavored vaping products, public reports showed that the President's PAC received a $5 million donation from Reynolds, a company that profits from selling the very vapes that hook children."

Video of Congressman Krishnamoorthi's questioning is available here.