Amna Nawaz
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WATCH: Sen. Kim asks who RFK Jr. is listening to if he's not listening to scientists
Posted
September 17, 2025
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September 17, 2025
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2:36Now PlayingSen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., questioned former CDC Director Susan Monarez and former chief medical officer Dr. Debra Houry on Wednesday, wondering aloud who Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. may be listening to on issues like vaccine guidance if he’s not relying on staff and experts to recommend changes.
After listening to Houry’s testimony, Kim said a particular phrase stood out for him: “pre-decided outcomes of votes.”
“We’re seeing this over and over again where it feels like there's already a decision that's been made,” the senator said, “and now we're trying to figure out how to twist the data to be able to meet that prediction or meet that assertation.”
Houry confirmed this was also a concern of hers.
“My concern is President [Donald] Trump issued the executive order on gold standard science, and I believe in that,” she told lawmakers. “We should have data that you can replicate, that you can understand, and we were put in positions to where I am concerned that the science coming out won't be gold standard science.”
Monarez testified in the hearing Wednesday about the political pressure she says she faced from Kennedy. 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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