'So Are You Saying That Senator Cassidy Lied?': Kim Schrier Grills RFK Jr About Firing Vaccine Panel

Forbes Breaking News

At a House Energy Committee hearing on Tuesday, Rep. Kim Schrier (D-WA) questioned HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Transcript

00:00The chair now recognizes the gentlelady from Washington State, Dr. Schreier, for five minutes

00:07of questioning. Secretary Kennedy, on May 27th, you posted a 60-second video on your ex-account,

00:16unilaterally changing vaccine recommendations without consulting the customary panel of experts.

00:23As a pediatrician, I find that extremely alarming. So I thought we would talk a little bit

00:28about some vaccine-preventable diseases. Secretary Kennedy, and these are yes or no questions,

00:34have you ever treated measles? Do I? Have you ever treated measles? No. Well, I have. Let me tell you

00:44how miserable it is. These kids have high fevers, struggling to breathe, and they are crying. They

00:49suffer. Great news is that there is a vaccine to prevent it. Secretary Kennedy, again, a yes or no

00:56question. Have you ever treated bacterial meningitis? No. Well, I have. These babies are so sick.

01:05They come into the ER with high fevers. They are floppy, and we have to figure out why. Do you know

01:11how we figure out if a baby has meningitis? Excuse me? Do you know how we figure out if a baby has

01:18spinal meningitis? How many babies? I'm going to explain how we figure out and determine if a baby has

01:26meningitis. Okay. We insert a needle between vertebrae until the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord

01:34drips out into a test tube. It's called a spinal tap. We used to do lots of them. Fortunately, we don't

01:44have to do very many of these anymore because we have three vaccines that prevent childhood

01:50meningitis. These are miracles. Secretary Kennedy, yes or no, have you ever treated pertussis or whooping

01:59cough? No, I've had it. Well, I have. And in infants, in fact, the one I treated, weeks old, came in because

02:09the baby just stopped breathing and turned blue. Let me tell you how scared those parents were.

02:16And I've treated a bunch of older kids with it. They cough so hard they vomit. They run out of air.

02:24They break ribs. And if you don't catch it before two weeks, antibiotics don't even work. They cough for

02:32months with broken ribs, and that is why it is called a hundred-day cough. But you know what's great?

02:38There's a vaccine that prevents this. Of course, here's the thing. Vaccines only work if you actually

02:47give them. And we know your record on this. We rely on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices,

02:54a panel of experts, to recommend which vaccines people should get at which ages and the like.

03:01Now, I know Senator Cassidy had concerns about your views on this. And so when he voted to confirm you

03:10as Secretary of HHS on February 4th, he explained that decision by saying on the Senate floor that,

03:18quote, if confirmed, you will maintain the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices

03:25without changes. But then two weeks ago, you fired all 17 experts on that very committee.

03:35Mr. Secretary, a question for you. Did you lie to Senator Cassidy when you told him you would not change

03:41this panel of experts?

03:43I never made that agreement.

03:45So are you saying that Senator Cassidy lied when he was on the Senate floor, lied to the American people?

03:51Well, I didn't see that statement by Senator Cassidy. I've only heard it from you. But if he said that

03:56I agreed to it, it would be inaccurate. I made an agreement with him. I made an agreement with him.

04:03And he and I have talked many times about that agreement.

04:06My time. I just want to tell you that for most of us sitting here right now,

04:12we believe Senator Cassidy more than we trust you when it comes to vaccinations. It sounds to me

04:18like you gave him the answer he needed to hear in order to get his confirmation vote. And then as

04:24soon as you were secretary, you turned around and did whatever you want. You fired all 17 members.

04:31I'm complying with all the agreements that I've made with Senator Cassidy.

04:35You're now on the record. You lied to Senator Cassidy. You have lied to the American people.

04:41You have lied to parents about vaccines for 20 years. And I also want to be clear that I will lay

04:47all responsibility for every death from a vaccine preventable illness at your feet. I yield back.

04:57The gentlelady yields.

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