RFK Jr. Faces Senate Criticism Over Vaccine Policies, Funding Cuts

Senator Bill Cassidy confronted Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a Senate hearing, criticizing Kennedy's skepticism of COVID-19 vaccines and his legal efforts that Cassidy argued restricted vaccine access, framing the issue within the context of protecting President Donald Trump's Operation Warp Speed legacy. Kennedy denied claims that the COVID vaccine caused more deaths than the virus and defended his department's broader health initiatives, including ending gain-of-function research and addressing public health concerns like excessive screen time for youth and the East Palestine chemical spill. Democratic Senators, including Maria Cantwell and Elizabeth Warren, sharply criticized Kennedy for canceling nearly $500 million in mRNA vaccine research funding and questioned his adherence to scientific consensus, with Cantwell calling him a 'charlatan' amid ongoing federal vaccine policy shifts. Kennedy rebuffed these attacks, accusing lawmakers of misrepresenting facts and dismissing their concerns as unfounded, while highlighting recent departmental successes such as reducing bureaucratic waste and ending the DEI regime. The tension reflects deep partisan divides over vaccine policy and public health leadership, with Kennedy's tenure marked by controversy over vaccine skepticism and the Trump administration’s health agenda for 2026. These exchanges occurred amid broader political dynamics, including Cassidy's reelection campaign in Louisiana where he balances support for vaccines with appeals to MAGA voters backing President Trump.