Luján: New Report Details Secretary Kennedy’s Misrepresentations, Lies, and Denials Before the Finance Committee

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement after Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) released a report reviewing the testimony of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a Finance Committee hearing earlier this month:

"Earlier this month, Secretary Kennedy appeared before the Senate Finance Committee, where he continued to mislead Americans about safe, effective vaccines and his leadership at HHS.

"This new report outlines in detail how Secretary Kennedy is spreading false information that endangers the health and safety of the American people. Congress must hold him accountable before more Americans are harmed, lifesaving care is stripped away, and public officials are punished for speaking out."

"Secretary Kennedy should resign."

The report found that Secretary Kennedy 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 first part of the report reviews Secretary Kennedy's testimony related to the firing of Dr. Monarez and other matters related to the CDC. The report puts Secretary Kennedy's testimony in context with publicly reported information. The second part of the report reviews Secretary 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 Secretary 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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