WATCH: Hickenlooper Rips RFK Jr.’s Attacks on Vaccines, American Science in CDC Oversight Hearing

Hickenlooper on MSNBC: "This is a rampant denial of science…"

Former CDC Director and former Chief Medical Officer testified before the Senate HELP Committee

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper called out Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s latest efforts to undermine Americans' access to safe vaccines during a Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) oversight hearing on Secretary Kennedy's decision to fire the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Dr. Susan Monarez, the former CDC Director, and Dr. Debra Houry, the former CDC Chief Medical Officer, testified before the HELP Committee about how RFK Jr. is ignoring science and putting Americans' health at risk. Monarez said that Secretary Kennedy and President Trump fired her after she refused to follow the secretary's demand that she remove top CDC vaccine policy officials and rubber-stamp the vaccine recommendations of his hand-selected panel - before the new recommendations had even been made.

Listen to his full interview HERE.

In an interview with MSNBC following the hearing, Hickenlooper highlighted the threat of RFK Jr.'s reckless anti-science efforts and how they'll impact Americans' health.

"I thought that ending was very powerful. One of [the witnesses] is worried that we're undermining and corroding the basic trust in public health. And then the other one is talking about the next big pandemic that we get, we won't be prepared. We've laid off so many people we're not going to be prepared to not just save our country, but save the world."

Hickenlooper continued: "I think there is general concern when you're talking about the health care of the country - if you're talking about the health of our children - there has to be a very high level of vigilance. And I think there's a worry that - not just [from] Democrats, but Republicans as well - that this is a rampant denial of science.… I think there's going to be a real pushback in not just in blue states, but across the country."

"…And I think one thing that came out in this hearing was that science needs to be agnostic. It needs to be blind except to the facts."

Two weeks ago, RFK Jr. reassured the Senate Finance Committee that his actions at the CDC have not undermined access to vaccines. During today's hearing, Hickenlooper pushed back on that false statement and raised alarm about RFK Jr.'s attempts to fire more than 2,400 CDC workers, including some who work on infectious disease prevention.

"Secretary Kennedy told my colleagues on the Finance Committee about vaccine access. And he said, 'most Americans are going to be able to get it from their pharmacy for free … Everybody can get it.' But that's not true, is it?" Hickenlooper asked in the hearing.

"My mom lives in Virginia, and she was unable to get it," answered Dr. Houry.

Watch Hickenlooper's questions HERE.

Hickenlooper has been a fierce critic of the Trump admin's senseless attacks on American science. He helped launch an investigation into RFK Jr.'s decision to gut the panel of experts who make vaccine recommendations, called out the mass firings at HHS, and demanded answers on how the firing of IVF researchers at the CDC will impact families seeking fertility treatment.

Earlier this year, he also questioned RFK Jr. on his public anti-science views and plans regarding transparency in NIH studies during RFK Jr.'s HELP confirmation hearing. Hickenlooper voted no on RFK Jr.'s nomination.

To download a full video of Hickenlooper's hearing questions, click HERE.

To download his MSNBC interview, click HERE.

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