Skip to content
← Back to feed
Andy Kim (D-NJ)
Andy Kim
Democrat·New Jersey

Hearing with Former CDC Director Makes Clear – RFK Jr. is Continuing to Risk the Health and Safety of All Americans

PressView on kim.senate.gov

WASHINGTON D.C. –Today during a committee hearing, Senator Kim spoke with former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez about her experience being fired by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The conversation made clear that RFK Jr.’s idea of public health is firing anyone who disagrees with him.
Dr. Monarez confirmed to Senator Kim that RFK Jr. had communicated his plan was to keep firing until there was somebody in that position that was willing to go along with what he was asking. Senator Kim pointed out: “If he is not listening to you, if he is not listening to CDC career staff and experts, the question is, who is Secretary Kennedy listening to?”
Watcha clipof Senator Kim’s questions
(Access unedited footage of Senator Kim’sfull question line)
Senator Kim also joinedCNN’s News Centralto discuss his takeaways from today’s hearing.
During today’s hearing Dr. Monarez and former Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry outlined that RFK Jr. announces major policy decisions via social media, demanded that the Director pre-approve decisions made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without reviewing the science, and insisted that political staff had to approve of Dr. Monarez’s policy and personnel decisions.
Soon after Dr. Monarez was forced out of her role, Senator Kim called for RFK Jr. to resign for showing a complete disregard for science and the health of our families. The Senator saidin a statement: “We cannot allow Americans to be put further at-risk by his lies and his dangerous crusade against basic health standards proven to save lives.”

Hart Senate Office BuildingSuite 520Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4744
210 Hudson StreetHarborside 3, Suite 1000Jersey City, NJ 07311
Phone: (201) 377-0900
208 White Horse PikeSuite 18Barrington, NJ 08007
Phone: (856) 757-5353

Issued within 24 hours

Other senators' releases published in the day before or after this one.