Both Republicans and Democrats clash with RFK Jr. on vaccines, CDC turmoil

"We're denying people vaccines," Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy told Kennedy.

ByMary Kekatos, Alexandra Hutzler, Ivan Pereira, and Cheyenne Haslett
Last Updated: September 4, 2025, 5:08 PM EDT

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced a grilling before the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

Over nearly three hours of questioning, he defended his controversial views on vaccines and the ouster of Susan Monarez as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Here's how the news developed:
Sep 04, 2025, 9:35 AM EDT

Ousted CDC director speaks out about firing

Ousted CDC Director Susan Monarez said Thursday she was fired for putting "evidence above ideology and facts above fear."

In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal, Monarez also referred to a meeting she had with her boss, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., where he pressured her to resign or be fired, which ABC News previously reported.

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