(NewsNation) — Fired Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Susan Monare told senators that she was fired for refusing to approve new vaccine recommendations without reviewing scientific evidence.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., opened the hearing by questioning the value of having Senate confirmation for a CDC director if that person could be fired less than a month later. He posed the question of whether senators missed something and bluntly stated the goal of the hearing is to find out what happened.
Monarez told senators that Kennedy gave her an ultimatum: “Preapprove” new vaccine recommendations from a controversial advisory CDC panel that Kennedy has stocked with some medical experts who doubt vaccine safety or be fired. That panel is expected to vote on new vaccine recommendations later this week.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said it was clear Monarez was fired for refusing to be a rubber-stamp for political views and called Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s positions on vaccines dangerous. He defended the scientific evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of vaccines.
Monarez, who was fired just weeks into her role, also said she was directed to fire senior CDC officials without cause.
“There is real risk that recommendations could be made restricting access to vaccines for children and others in need without rigorous scientific review,” she said.
Monarez referenced an upcoming meeting of the panel, which will discuss vaccines, including the COVID vaccine, Hepatitis B vaccine, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and chicken pox vaccine.
Monarez told senators she was asked to approve recommendations a month before the panel was set to meet and without knowing what they were or what evidence was behind them.
She said she feared that preventable diseases will return if faith in vaccines is undermined.
“I believe that we will have our children harmed for things that we know they do not need to be harmed by – polio, measles, diphtheria, whooping cough,” Monarez said.
Monarez said that when she pushed back on preapproving the vaccine recommendations and firing scientists, Kennedy became upset and animated and called the meeting “not productive.”
She also detailed false statements Kennedy made during her meeting, where she said he accused the CDC of killing children, being bought by the pharmaceutical companies, accused the agency of acting like a “dictatorship” during COVID for advising social distancing and mask mandates that could save lives and also accused the agency of telling hospitals to turn COVID patients away until they were severely ill.
Former CDC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Deb Houry, the other witness in the hearing, testified that she had to correct misinformation sent out by Kennedy, such as claims that vaccines used “fetal parts.”
During the hearing, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., accused Monarez of lying and implied there was a recording of her meeting with Kennedy.
Cassidy said that if such a recording exists, the committee has a right to see it and to know why a recording was made.
Sanders then questioned how one senator might have access to an alleged tape that none of the others on the committee have access to.
Mullin later backtracked and said he was mistaken about a recording.
“But in case he’s mistaken that he was mistaken — if there is a recording, it should be released,” Cassidy said in response.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement that Monarez’s testimony was inaccurate and left out key details.
“Susan Monarez was tasked with returning the CDC to its core mission after decades of bureaucratic inertia, politicized science and mission creep corroded its purpose and squandered public trust. Instead, she acted maliciously to undermine the President’s agenda and was fired as a result,” the statement said. “Some of her biggest offenses include neglecting to implement President Trump’s executive orders, making policy decisions without the knowledge or consent of Secretary Kennedy or the White House, limiting badge access for Trump’s political appointees, and removing a Secretarial appointee without consulting anyone.”
There was brief debate between Cassidy and Sanders at the start of the hearing, with Republicans seeking to swear in the witnesses and Democrats objecting. Sanders noted that Kennedy was not sworn in during his hearing nor have any other witnesses. He said it would be unfair to change the rules now.
Cassidy then noted it is illegal to lie to Congress anyway, prompting laughter in the chamber.
Kennedy has made significant changes regarding health policy, including appointing vaccine-skeptical personnel to key roles. Under his tenure, the Food and Drug Administration has also imposed new limits on the COVID-19 vaccine, though multiple medical groups have issued broader recommendations.
In recent days, Kennedy has faced pushback from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers over recommendations around vaccines.