Fired CDC Director Monarez Testifies Senate on Agency Turmoil

Susan Monarez, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee on September 17 regarding her abrupt firing after less than a month in the position. Monarez's ouster followed a clash with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccine policies, including his directive to fire senior CDC staff and his restructuring of the CDC's vaccine advisory committee. Monarez and former CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, who resigned in protest, will address concerns that Kennedy's agenda undermines scientific standards and vaccine policies. Senate HELP Committee Chair Sen. Bill Cassidy, who initially voted to confirm Kennedy, emphasized the importance of transparency and prioritizing children's health amidst the CDC turmoil. The hearing comes amid bipartisan concern over the changes at the CDC, with plans for a subsequent hearing allowing HHS officials to respond. Monarez's testimony marks her first public appearance since her firing and highlights ongoing debates over vaccine policy and public health leadership under the Trump administration.