RFK Jr. Under Fire as Elizabeth Warren Calls for His Resignation

[0:00] You are putting America's babies' health at risk, America's seniors' health at risk, [0:05] all Americans' health at risk, and you should resign. [0:10] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, last November, while you were under consideration to become [0:15] Secretary of Health and Human Services, Mr. Kennedy, you said, quote, [0:20] if vaccines are working for somebody, I'm not going to take them away. No exceptions, [0:26] no ifs, ands, or buts. You would not take away vaccines from anyone who wanted them. [0:32] Then, last week, you announced that the COVID-19 vaccine is no longer approved for healthy people [0:38] under the age of 65. In announcing the change, you said the vaccine will be available for anyone [0:44] who wants it. Now, obviously, both things cannot be true at the same moment. So, let's clear this [0:50] up right now, Secretary Kennedy. Will you tell America that all adults and all children over [0:57] six months of age are eligible to get a COVID booster at their local pharmacy today? [1:05] Anybody can get the booster. I'm sorry? [1:08] Anybody can get it. [1:09] Anybody. So, you're saying that is now the official rule of HHS, anybody is eligible to get a booster [1:17] by just walking into the pharmacy. It's not recommended for healthy people. [1:22] No, no. If you don't recommend, then the consequence of that in many states is that you can't walk [1:29] into a pharmacy and get one. It means insurance companies don't have to cover the $200 or so cost. [1:36] As Senator Dr. Cassidy said, you are effectively denying people vaccines. [1:42] We're not going to recommend a product for which there's no clinical data for that indication, [1:46] which is that what I should be doing? [1:49] What you should be doing is honoring your promise that you made when you were looking [1:53] to get confirmed in this job. [1:55] You're going like this. [1:56] And that is, you promised that you would not take away vaccines from anyone who wanted them. [2:04] You just changed the classification of the COVID vaccine. [2:08] I'm not taking them away from people, Senator. [2:10] It takes it away if you can't get it from your pharmacist. [2:14] Well, most Americans are going to be able to get it from their pharmacy for free. [2:19] Most Americans will be able to get it from their pharmacy for free. [2:22] No, the question is everyone who wants it. That was your promise, Mr. Kennedy, not mine. [2:27] I never promised that I was going to recommend products with which there is no indication. [2:31] And I know you've taken $855,000 from pharmaceutical companies, Senator. [2:39] Did you hold up a big sign saying that you were lying when you said that? [2:43] Because you are the one who said you would not take them away. [2:48] Now, Senator, can you... [2:49] I'm not taking them away from anybody. [2:50] Secretary... [2:51] You want me to indicate a product for which there is no clinical data? [2:56] Is that what you want? [2:58] Secretary Kennedy, you said you wouldn't, and now you did. [3:02] I'm not taking them away. [3:03] Everybody can get access to them. [3:05] No, they can't walk into a pharmacy the way they could last month and get access to a vaccine. [3:11] It depends on the states. [3:15] A year ago... [3:16] But they can still get it. [3:17] Everybody can get it. [3:18] A month ago, it did not get it. [3:19] Everybody can get it, Senator. [3:21] So, look, let's move on. [3:23] You clearly are taking away vaccines. [3:25] I've seen the list for what's coming up next, and that is the agenda for the next CDC vaccine panel. [3:34] And first up is ratifying your COVID actions. [3:38] Second is hepatitis B is on the agenda. [3:41] So should Americans expect you to take away hepatitis vaccine access as well, even though you promised not to? [3:49] As I said, I'm not taking vaccines away from anybody. [3:53] Okay, same answer, right? [3:55] You're just going to deny that when people can't get access that you're not taking it away. [4:01] Then let me ask you, is that the same game you're going to play with measles, mumps, rift, rift, rift, rift, rift, rift, rift. [4:05] So you want me to recommend every product in the world without any clinical trial data? [4:12] No, I want you to follow through on your promises. [4:14] Yeah, my promise was to give... [4:16] A month ago, we could get COVID vaccines by just walking through a pharmacy. [4:20] You can still get COVID vaccines, Senator. [4:22] You are taking that away. [4:23] No, you are still... [4:24] So let me ask you one more question, Secretary Kennedy. [4:25] You can still get the COVID vaccines, and Medicare will still pay for them, and Medicaid will still pay for them. [4:30] Is that the head of the CDC that if she refused to sign off on your changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, that she had to resign? [4:39] No, I told her that she had to resign because I asked her, are you a trustworthy person? [4:45] And she said no. [4:47] So if you had an employee who told you they weren't trustworthy, would you ask them to resign, Senator? [4:55] So I'm sorry, but this is not what she has said publicly. [5:01] She has said... [5:01] Well, I'm not surprised about that. [5:04] So you're saying she's lying? [5:05] Yes. [5:07] Every conversation I had with her, there were witnesses... [5:09] And let me get this straight. [5:10] This is the same person that less than a month earlier, you stood next to her and described her as unimpeachable, and you had full confidence in her, and that you had full confidence in her scientific credentials. [5:27] And in a month, she became a liar? [5:29] Yeah, you should ask her what changed. [5:31] And by the way, a month ago, you were voting against her because you thought she was either incompetent, ineligible, or unsuited to the task. [5:42] I voted against her because I was afraid she was going to bend the knee to you and Donald Trump, and it looks like she didn't bend the knee, so you fired her. [5:51] Look, you're putting America's babies' health at risk, America's seniors' health at risk, all Americans' health at risk, and you should resign. [5:59] Senator Sanders. [6:01] Thank you, and I apologize for the delay. [6:03] I'm, like many, trying to cover multiple hearings today. [6:07] So Senate Republicans confirmed RFK Jr. despite warning signs that he would put Americans at risk. [6:16] So far, the deadliest measles outbreak in decades has already left two children dead. [6:23] A serious avian flu outbreak has driven farmers to cull 30 million chickens this year and sickened 70 people and killed one. [6:34] Secretary Kennedy has fired the experts, peddled dangerous conspiracy theories, and moved HHS decision-making into the shadows. [6:43] Mr. O'Neill, if confirmed as Deputy Secretary, you would be Kennedy's number two and responsible for overseeing HHS's responses to the public health crises. [6:57] So I want to know if you would do anything to reduce the damage that Secretary Kennedy is doing. [7:03] So let's start with measles outbreak. [7:05] In just the last week, Secretary Kennedy has made multiple inaccurate claims about the measles vaccine. [7:13] Meanwhile, under his leadership, HHS has censored CDC analysis on the importance of measles vaccinations, canceled research on vaccine hesitancy, [7:26] and pulled funding that local health departments use to help parents vaccinate their kids. [7:33] So, Mr. O'Neill, if confirmed, your job will be to advise Secretary Kennedy. [7:39] So help us understand, would you have advised against any of the actions that Secretary Kennedy has taken in handling the measles outbreak? [7:49] Thank you for the question, Senator. It's lovely to meet you. [7:53] I strongly support vaccines. I think they're the greatest public health. [7:56] That's not my question. [8:00] My question is, I've told you what it is. You've seen it. [8:04] What Secretary Kennedy has done, you will be his number two. [8:07] You will offer him advice. [8:09] And so I'm asking, what kind of advice would you offer on any of these actions that he has taken? [8:16] Would you have advised against any of them, or do you embrace them all? [8:20] Senator, I was not involved in those decisions, obviously. [8:22] I know that. [8:22] But I support the MMR vaccine. I've taken it myself. [8:25] I think it is safe and effective. I would recommend it to others. [8:28] And the Secretary has done the same. [8:30] So you're saying every way, everything that Secretary Kennedy has done in handling the measles vaccine [8:37] and this crisis, you're fine with. Is that right? I just want to make sure I understand. [8:43] Senator, I think he's sincerely concerned about measles. [8:46] That's not my question. My question is, you okay with all this? [8:51] Sorry? [8:51] You okay with all this? [8:53] I think he's doing a great job. [8:54] Okay. That's what we need to hear. [8:56] Let's do another. [8:58] The avian flu outbreak is destroying farmers' livelihoods. [9:02] It's jacking up egg prices. [9:04] It's raising the risk of an outbreak in humans. [9:07] Secretary Kennedy has fired the top FDA staff tracking the outbreak. [9:13] He's canceled scientific meetings on preventing human infections. [9:17] And he has suggested that poultry farmers should consider letting the virus, quote, [9:22] run through the flock, a strategy that experts say would be a genuine health disaster. [9:29] So, Mr. O'Neill, would you have advised against any of the actions that Secretary Kennedy has taken [9:35] in handling the avian flu, or would you say on avian flu, you also think he's done a great job? [9:42] Senator, I've been following the avian flu outbreak over about the past year. [9:47] It's been a significant concern. [9:49] Lots of people are watching it. [9:51] CDC is tracking it. [9:52] Canadians are tracking it. [9:54] The kind of thing that everyone is watching for that would... [9:58] My question is about Secretary Kennedy and the actions he's taken. [10:03] I've just identified the actions he's taken. [10:06] I'm asking you, would you have advised him to take any different actions than those he has taken? [10:12] Senator, the avian influenza strain that is prevalent currently among both domestic fowl and wildfowl [10:22] seems to be optimized for avian systems. [10:24] If it were to appear to have evolved such that it's jumping from human to human to human... [10:31] None of this is my question. [10:32] You are going to be there to be number two to Kennedy and to advise him. [10:37] So I'm saying here are things Kennedy has done. [10:40] I'm asking the question, which I think is perfectly reasonable, [10:43] would you have given different advice? [10:45] And you have told me on measles, you think he's doing a great job, [10:49] which I assume means not different advice. [10:51] How about on avian flu? [10:53] You think he's doing a great job there? [10:55] Senator, the Department of Agriculture makes most decisions regarding vaccination of wildlife. [11:02] Of course, I will always give the Secretary, if confirmed, my honest, frank and update opinion. [11:07] You know, I appreciate that you have done a great job of trying to avoid this question. [11:12] Because the one thing we're trying to determine is what kind of advice this guy's going to give, [11:17] and all he can do is mumble around and say Kennedy's doing a great job. [11:22] I don't think that's somebody who's going to help curb the worst risks [11:28] that Kennedy is pumping into our health care system. [11:30] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [11:31] And I apologize. [11:32] Thank you.