On September 17, 2025, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions convened a highly anticipated hearing that laid bare the deepening rift over vaccine policy within the federal government. At the center of the storm stood Dr. Susan Monarez, the recently ousted director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Dr. Debra Houry, the former chief medical officer, both of whom painted a picture of an agency in turmoil under the leadership of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Dr. Monarez, who had been fired less than a month after her swearing-in, testified that her dismissal stemmed from her refusal to approve changes to the childhood vaccine schedule and to fire career CDC scientists, regardless of the scientific evidence. "Secretary Kennedy demanded two things of me that were inconsistent with my oath of office and the ethics required of a public official," Monarez told the committee, according to BBC. "He directed me to commit in advance to approving every ACIP recommendation regardless of the scientific evidence. He also directed me to dismiss career officials responsible for vaccine policy, without cause. He said if I was unwilling to do both, I should resign."
According to Monarez, the August 25 meeting with Kennedy was tense and pivotal. Kennedy, a well-known vaccine skeptic, had already dismissed the entire membership of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in June and installed new appointees. He demanded that Monarez approve all recommendations from the reconstituted ACIP and purge the CDC leadership until compliance with his directives was achieved. "The plan was to literally just kind of keep firing until there was somebody in that position that was willing to go along with what Secretary Kennedy was asking," Monarez recounted in response to Senator Andy Kim, as reported by CBS News.
Monarez resisted, stating, "I could not approve recommendations from ACIP without reviewing evidence and had no basis to fire the scientific experts at the CDC." She further testified that Kennedy informed her he was in frequent contact with President Donald Trump about these policy changes. After refusing Kennedy's demands, Monarez said she was told by Kennedy that he had already spoken to the White House about her removal.
Dr. Debra Houry, who resigned hours after Monarez's firing, echoed the concerns about political interference. "Secretary Kennedy's actions repeatedly censored CDC science, politicized our processes, and stripped agency leaders of the ability to protect the health of the American people," Houry said in her prepared remarks. She called on Kennedy to resign, stating, "I could not in good conscience remain under those conditions." Houry also revealed that 80% of CDC center directors are now serving in an acting capacity due to a wave of firings, resignations, and retirements, leaving a vacuum of expertise within the agency.
The hearing took place against the backdrop of a rapidly approaching ACIP meeting, where, according to Axios and BBC, changes to the childhood hepatitis B vaccine schedule were rumored to be on the table. Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician and the committee chair, defended the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, warning, "If ACIP changes its recommendation regarding the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, insurance companies no longer have to pay for it and parents will be forced to pay out-of-pocket." Cassidy emphasized the public health impact of the vaccine, noting that infections in newborns dropped by 68% after the birth dose was approved.
Throughout the hearing, the former CDC officials described a climate in which science was sidelined in favor of political loyalty. Monarez said she was directed to work only with Kennedy's political appointees and not to speak with career scientists or members of Congress. She also detailed Kennedy's disparaging remarks about the CDC staff, testifying, "He called CDC staff 'horrible people' and the health agency 'corrupt.'" According to Monarez, Kennedy accused CDC employees of killing children and being "bought by the pharmaceutical industry."
Houry added that Kennedy's office ordered the removal of scientific documents from the CDC website and allowed unvetted presentations before ACIP, undermining confidence in the agency's deliberations. She stated, "CDC leaders were reduced to rubber stamps, supporting policies not based on science and putting American lives at risk." Houry also recounted having to correct misinformation Kennedy spread about vaccines, such as his claim that some contained fetal parts.
As the hearing unfolded, partisan lines became clear. Republicans on the committee largely defended Kennedy's decision to fire Monarez, accusing her and Houry of resisting necessary reforms and blocking the Trump administration's agenda. Senator Markwayne Mullin pressed Monarez on the details of her firing, accusing her of dishonesty and suggesting her recollection of events was contradicted by others present. Meanwhile, Democrats and some moderate Republicans expressed alarm at the politicization of vaccine policy and the potential erosion of public trust in the CDC.
Senator Bill Cassidy called for the release of any recordings of Monarez's conversation with Kennedy, seeking "radical transparency" in line with President Trump's stated vision. Cassidy remarked, "Children, and I would say adults', health is at risk," and stressed the importance of restoring trust in public health institutions. Senator Bernie Sanders was blunt in his assessment, stating, "Monarez was fired because she refused to act as a rubber stamp," and warning that Kennedy's "dangerous agenda to substantially limit the use of safe and effective vaccines would endanger the lives of the American people."
Monarez, for her part, insisted that her actions were in line with both her ethical obligations and the Trump administration's stated priorities. "I agree with President Trump that we should not hesitate to ask for proof about our vaccines," she said. "Demanding evidence is exactly what I was doing when I insisted CDC recommendations be based on credible science." She warned that if vaccine decisions aren't based on science, "it takes us into a very dangerous place in public health."
The hearing also touched on the personal toll of the escalating vaccine debate. Monarez and Houry described a climate of fear among CDC employees, exacerbated by misinformation and a recent shooting at CDC headquarters by a man protesting Covid vaccines. Houry said, "They feel they were personally targeted because of misinformation," and noted that some scientists now refuse to put their names on research out of fear for their safety.
As the ACIP prepares to meet and potentially alter the nation's childhood vaccine schedule, the future of the CDC and public health policy remains uncertain. Monarez concluded, "My worst fear was that I would then be in a position of approving something that would reduce access to lifesaving vaccines to children and others who need them." With the nation's trust in its health institutions hanging in the balance, the stakes could hardly be higher.
In the end, the Senate hearing offered a rare, unvarnished look at the intersection of science, politics, and public trust—an intersection that, for now, remains fraught with risk and uncertainty.
