RFK Jr. is being called to testify in front of the Senate Finance Committee tomorrow, September 4th at 9:30AM (I think that’s the right time, anyway. The schedules online are a little vague).
This meeting, and his invitation to speak, was planned before the recent shakeups at the CDC. It was intended that he would speak to the panel about his, MAHA’s and Donald Trump’s health care agenda. But now, the meeting may take a sideways turn to include questions about his (in)ability to lead the HHS and the CDC in light of the chaos that has upended the CDC’s functionality recently.
Another point of concern is the person RFK Jr has appointed to lead the CDC in light of Susan Monarez’ termination: Jim O’Neill. O’Neill has zero medical or science education or background. He is a Silicon Valley biotech investor that has worked with Republican billionaire donor Peter Theill. In the past, O’Neill has been critical of the FDA for being too stringent on drug approvals… he thinks that drugs should be approved as soon as they are determined to be safe. He does not think they need to be tested for efficacy (whether or not they work) before they are FDA approved. While he has said that he supports the CDC in it’s traditional approach at recommending vaccines, he also has supported RFK Jr’s work at the CDC by saying “Secretary Kennedy has not made it difficult nor discouraged people from taking vaccines,” So that’s a question mark.
I’d like everyone to take a minute to marinate in the idea that both the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services are being run by people that have no backround in health or science.
The Senate Finance Committee
One of the Democrats on the Finance Committee, Ron Wyden (OR) apparantly sent Kennedy a letter last Thursday reminding him about requests for information that the Committee has made to HHS that have gone unanswered. The letter included this quote: “Your tenure as Secretary thus far has been the most opaque and secretive of any federal agency in living memory. This hearing represents an opportunity to correct course.”
Hear hear.
Another high profile member of the Senate Finance Committee, Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA) will be there too and last week spoke about the resignations at the CDC….. “these high profile departures will require oversight.” So far, Cassidy who is an actual honest-to-God doctor has not shown much backbone in standing up for science but this may be his chance at redemption.
Your call to action
Below is a list of all the members of the Senate Finance Committee. Make your voice heard by calling or emailing as many of them as you can. If you only have time to reach out to one, please do so. I have been told that calling is best, and often they have a real live staffer for you to talk to who kind of “takes the temperature” of the people by the tone of the calls and reports that back to the Senator. Second best is using their email contact form. Don’t bother reaching out on social media, they don’t pay attention to that.
If your local representative is on the list, make it that one and be sure to identify yourself as their constituent (for my GA peeps, Warnock is on the list!) Or contact Cassidy and plead for him to honor is hippocratic oath. Or contact the Chairman, ranking member or members of the subcommittee on health care (as those people might have more skin in the game). Those on the Health Care subcomittee are in bold below (its most of them)
Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) Chairman. (202)224-6142. Online contact form.
Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) Ranking Member. (202) 224-5244 Online contact form.
Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) (202) 224-3744 Online contact form.
John Cornyn (R-Texas) 202-224-2934 Online contact form.
John Thune (R-South Dakota) (202) 224-2321 Online contact form.
Tim Scott (R- South Carolina) (202) 224-6121 Online contact form.
Bill Cassidy (R-Lousiana) (202) 224-5824 Online contact form.
James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) (202) 224-5754 Online contact form.
Steve Daines (R-Montana) 202) 224-2651 Online contact form.
Todd Young (R-Indiana) (202) 224-5623 Online contact form.
John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) 202-224-6441 Online contact form.
Ron Johnson (R-Wisconson) (202) 224-5323 Online contact form
Thom Tillis (R- North Carolina) (202) 224-6342 Online contact form.
Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) (202) 224-3344 Online contact form.
Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) 202-224-4774 Online contact form
Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) (202) 224-3441 Online contact form
Michael F. Bennet (D-Colorado) 202-224-5852 Online contact form.
Mark R. Warner (D-Virginia) 202-224-2023 Online contact form.
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island) (202) 224-2921 Online contact form.
Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire) (202) 224-3324 Online contact form.
Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) (202) 224-3542 Online contact form.
Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) (202) 224-4543 Online contact form
Bernard Sanders (D-Vermont) 202-224-5141 Online contact form.
Tina Smith (D-Minnesota) (202) 224-5641 Online contact form.
Ben Ray Lujon (D-New Mexico) 202-224-6621 Online contact form.
Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia) (202) 224-3643 Online contact form.
Peter Welch (D-Vermont) 202-224-4242 Online contact form.
Stay happy, healthy, vaccinated and HEARD,
Jessica at TCA