On September 25, 2025, Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens made headlines with her announcement that she is drafting articles of impeachment against Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The move, which quickly reverberated through political and public health circles, underscores deepening divisions over vaccine policy, scientific integrity, and the direction of federal health leadership in the United States.
Stevens, who has long voiced concerns about Kennedy’s stewardship of the HHS, did not mince words in her public statements. According to The New York Post, Stevens charged that Kennedy "has violated his oath of office and proven himself unfit to serve the American people." In her view, Kennedy’s tenure has made "our country less safe and made healthcare less affordable and accessible for Michiganders." The congresswoman’s declaration marks one of the most forceful public rebukes of a Cabinet official in recent memory.
The articles of impeachment Stevens is preparing focus on several fronts. Chief among them are Kennedy’s funding cuts for medical research. She described these cuts as an "abdication of duty," particularly highlighting reductions in support for cancer studies, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and addiction research. As reported by Truthout, Stevens accused Kennedy of "cutting lifesaving research for various programs," a move she believes has direct consequences for public health outcomes.
Another major point of contention is Kennedy’s overhaul of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) vaccine advisory panel. According to Truthout and AGDAILY, Kennedy removed every member of the CDC’s immunization advisory committee, replacing them "mostly with anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists." Stevens and others say this shake-up has politicized the CDC and undermined its scientific credibility. She further accused Kennedy of politicizing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a charge that has resonated with both supporters and critics of the administration.
Vaccine policy sits at the heart of Stevens’s impeachment push. She alleges that Kennedy’s approach has "severely restricted access to vaccines and spread absurd conspiracies, putting lives in danger, and raising healthcare costs," as cited in Business Today. The congresswoman points specifically to Kennedy’s decision to withdraw federal recommendations for COVID-19 shots for pregnant women and healthy children, as well as his cancellation of research related to mRNA vaccines. Stevens contends that these actions have fueled vaccine hesitancy and left vulnerable populations at greater risk.
The controversy reached new heights when Kennedy, alongside President Donald Trump and other officials, announced a White House position linking acetaminophen use during pregnancy to autism. This claim, which Kennedy reportedly made at the White House, has been widely condemned by medical experts and contradicted by existing studies. As Truthout notes, "medical experts have condemned the guidance as disinformation," warning that discouraging the use of acetaminophen could lead to untreated fevers or pain during pregnancy, with serious complications as a result. Stevens accused Kennedy of making "wild and unfounded claims" in an effort to limit access to Tylenol, further eroding public trust in federal health guidance.
Stevens also alleged that Kennedy lied during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. She claims that Kennedy promised Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.) he would keep the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel "in place without changes," a pledge she says he has since broken. According to Business Today, some critics have even suggested Kennedy’s actions may constitute perjury.
Beyond the policy disputes, Kennedy’s management style has drawn criticism as well. Upon taking office, he reportedly fired thousands of HHS employees, promising to rehire many but failing to follow through. This upheaval has contributed to what Stevens calls "health care chaos," with rising costs and instability affecting families across the country. In a notable show of dissent, more than 1,000 current HHS employees signed an open letter calling for Kennedy to step down, citing his lack of experience in the health field and controversial decisions, as reported by Truthout and AGDAILY.
Stevens’s move to impeach Kennedy is historically significant. As AGDAILY points out, the U.S. House of Representatives has only impeached two Cabinet members in its history: William W. Belknap in the 19th century and Alejandro Mayorkas under the Biden administration. Neither attempt resulted in removal from office, and with Republicans currently holding a majority in the House, the odds of Stevens’s effort succeeding appear slim.
Still, the political stakes are high. While a recent report from CNN found Kennedy to be the most popular member of Trump’s Cabinet, it also revealed that more Americans view him unfavorably than favorably. Public opinion polls reinforce this ambivalence. A Quinnipiac University poll conducted September 18-21, 2025, and cited by Truthout, found that only 33 percent of Americans approve of Kennedy’s handling of HHS, while 54 percent disapprove. When asked about their confidence in medical information cited by Kennedy, only 39 percent of respondents said they were "very confident" or "somewhat confident," while 57 percent expressed little or no confidence. Notably, the poll was conducted before Kennedy and Trump’s controversial announcement about acetaminophen.
Stevens’s impeachment initiative has drawn a range of reactions. Supporters argue that her actions are necessary to restore scientific integrity and protect public health. "We need leaders who put science over chaos, facts over lies, and people over politics," Stevens declared in her official statement. Critics, however, see the move as politically motivated and unlikely to gain traction in a divided Congress. Some point to Kennedy’s willingness to challenge established norms as a reason for his popularity among certain segments of the public, even as others decry his approach as dangerous and reckless.
For now, the fate of Kennedy’s tenure as HHS Secretary remains uncertain. The impeachment articles have yet to be formally introduced, and it is unclear how much support Stevens will garner among her colleagues. What is clear, however, is that the debate over science, public health, and political accountability in Washington shows no signs of abating. As the nation grapples with competing visions for its future, the outcome of this high-profile clash could have lasting implications for the credibility and direction of American health policy.
With the stakes so high and the divisions so deep, all eyes will remain on Capitol Hill as Congress weighs its next steps in this extraordinary chapter of U.S. governance.
