WATCH: RFK Jr. addresses CDC and vaccine policy changes in Senate hearing

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made his opening statement before the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, making a debunked claim that half-a-million children went missing during the Biden administration and defending the removal of CDC officials who he said were responsible for “nonsensical” policies during the COVID pandemic.

“[The] CDC failed that responsibility miserably during COVID when its nonsensical policies destroyed small businesses, violated civil liberties, closed our schools, caused generational damage in doing so, masked infants with no science, and heightened economic inequality,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy appeared before the committee a day after more than 20 medical societies and organizations called for his resignation. They cited “repeated efforts to undermine science and public health,” most recently the firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez over vaccine science and the resulting resignations of other leaders at the organization.

During his tenure, the health secretary and former anti-vaccine advocate has narrowed long-standing U.S. vaccine recommendations. He’s also replaced a key panel of medical experts with his hand-picked candidates ahead of the start of the respiratory virus season in the United States.

Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app

Find more from PBS NewsHour at

Subscribe to our YouTube channel

X (formerly Twitter)

Subscribe:

PBS NewsHour podcasts

Newsletters