Republican senators have expressed clear discontent and concern regarding Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., signaling to President Trump that the administration must manage disruption stemming from Kennedy’s attempts to change vaccine policies.
Although no senator has explicitly called for Kennedy’s resignation, some, including a GOP Senator, have voiced regrets about their support for him back in February. They appear eager to advance changes to vaccine policy recommendations that lack robust scientific backing amid growing public opposition.
Kennedy received a pointed message from Senate Republican Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) during his testimony before the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday.
“I support vaccines. I’m a doctor,” Barrasso, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, stated. “In the confirmation hearing, Secretary Kennedy committed to upholding high vaccine standards. I’ve been worried ever since.”
Barrasso raised concerns based on inquiries from the National Institutes of Health regarding the recent measles outbreak, the abrupt removal of CDC Director Susan Monares, and issues related to mRNA vaccines.
“Americans are uncertain about where to turn for health guidance,” he remarked. “To restore Americans’ health, we can’t put public health at risk.”
Barrasso emphasized growing apprehensions that the safety and effectiveness of vaccines for serious diseases like measles and hepatitis B might be in jeopardy.
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and was present at the hearing, criticized Kennedy’s policy revisions, noting they complicate access to vaccinations.
“Effectively, we’re denying people vaccines,” Cassidy admitted, reading aloud statements from conservative commentator Eric Ericson.
He also confronted Kennedy about his past roles as the chief lawyer for Children Health Defense, a group that has questioned vaccine safety.
In an attempt to clarify Kennedy’s stance, Cassidy pointed out a contradiction regarding Donald Trump’s speed in developing the COVID-19 vaccine through Operation Warp Speed.
When Kennedy affirmed that Trump deserved acclaim, Cassidy challenged him, stating, “You previously asserted the COVID vaccine caused more deaths than the virus.”
Cassidy reiterated Kennedy’s involvement in lawsuits that sought to limit access to the COVID vaccine, expressing disbelief at Kennedy’s high regard for its development speed.
After the hearing, Cassidy refrained from commenting on his confidence in Kennedy’s leadership at HHS, indicating that the current proceedings will have to speak for themselves.
The Senate Health Committee is reportedly examining whether the health department prioritizes political goals over scientific integrity.
Senator Tom Tillis (R-N.C.), another member of the Finance Committee, questioned Kennedy for his failure to adhere to prior promises of empowering scientists free from political meddling and ensuring easier vaccine access.
Tillis mentioned discrepancies between Kennedy’s words at past hearings and current reports, which suggest actions contrary to his previous commitments.
“Your actions seem contradictory,” he pointed out, particularly in light of Kennedy’s firing of the CDC director and the cancellation of an mRNA research agreement along with changes to the Advisory Committee on Vaccination Practices.
During the hearing, Tillis revealed concerns about Kennedy’s plan to reduce the HHS workforce and his assertion that scientists were dismissed because they “lied.”
He expressed his determination to investigate further.
Tillis also questioned whether Kennedy’s skepticism towards vaccines might cloud his judgment regarding alternative viewpoints.
“He’s not a scientist but a trial lawyer,” Tillis noted. “Trial lawyers tend to highlight information that serves their cases. Can we trust him to consider information that may contradict his position?”
When asked about Kennedy’s future in the role, Tillis stated he would pursue a series of questions before drawing any conclusions.
Polling data reveals that Kennedy’s management of the health agency is increasingly becoming a political concern for Republicans. A survey showed only 26% of 1,691 adult respondents expressed some level of trust in Kennedy’s medical advice, while 48% held distrust.
Additionally, a CBS News/YouGov poll indicated that 74% of American adults believe government health agencies should make vaccines more accessible, with 39% feeling they are currently not. Only 9% think Kennedy is facilitating easier vaccine access.
In another survey, Kennedy had a 45% job approval rating, contrasted with a 55% disapproval rating.
Republican support for Kennedy has diminished since most voted for his confirmation in February, with only former Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell opposing his nomination.
After Monares’s abrupt dismissal shortly after the confirmation, Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed frustrations about ongoing uncertainties at the CDC.
“Honestly, he has to take responsibility,” Thune remarked regarding Kennedy. “We conducted thorough checks on these individuals, and now it’s been barely a month since they took office.”
Two important members of the Senate Health Committee, Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), opted not to comment on Kennedy’s performance on that day, with Murkowski stating she hadn’t responded to media inquiries and Collins not having accessed the hearing.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt countered criticisms of Kennedy’s leadership via social media, asserting he is working toward commendable goals.
Vice President J.D. Vance defended Kennedy’s approach but seemed more focused on critiquing Democrats rather than Republicans, expressing frustration over their perceived attacks on the Secretary.
