Amna Nawaz
@PBSNewsHour·5.3M subscribers·62.2K videos
WATCH: Sen. Cassidy makes opening statement in hearing with ousted CDC Director Monarez
Posted
September 17, 2025
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September 17, 2025
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6:02Now PlayingSen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, made his opening statement Wednesday in a hearing on recent turmoil at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the implications for children’s health.
Former CDC Director Susan Monarez testified in the hearing Wednesday about the political pressure she says she faced from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. She says she was fired after she refused to preapprove vaccine recommendations from a CDC panel without seeing scientific evidence. Kennedy has denied these claims and told senators earlier this month that she was lying.
Monarez’s firing led to the resignations of several other top health officials, including chief medical officer Dr. Debra Houry, who also testified in Wednesday’s hearing.
The hearing comes a day before a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the panel that issues vaccine recommendations. Kennedy, known for his anti-vaccine advocacy, has come under fire for removing all members of the board and replacing them with people who align with his views. The panel is expected to vote on authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines, among others.
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