Ex-CDC official says RFK Jr. pressured her to stay silent

Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Susan Monarez told members of a Senate committee Wednesday that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told her to "never" express concerns about HHS policy to Congress.Why it matters: Monarez's claims that Kennedy tried to limit lawmakers' access to CDC deliberations come just a day before the secretary's handpicked vaccine advisers convene to debate vaccine recommendations. Monarez told lawmakers that she was worried Kennedy was pushing her to contradict the promises of "transparency" and "integrity" that she had made to Congress in her confirmation hearing, leading her to reach out to the committee to share her concerns.Kennedy has denied he fired Monarez for refusing to pre-approve new vaccine recommendations.What they're saying: "Secretary Kennedy became aware of that, and he was very concerned that I had spoken to members of Congress," Monarez told lawmakers."He told me I was never to do it again," she added.The other side: A Health Department spokesperson told Axios that President Trump fired Monarez because she could not restore "public trust" in the CDC."Susan is grossly distorting the Secretary's clear and consistent expectation that all HHS staff follow standard, long-standing protocols for communicating with Congress through the office of the Assistant Secretary for Legislation," the department spokesperson told Axios in an emailed statement. Zoom in: Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a physician who cast a key vote in confirming Kennedy, later said it was "entirely appropriate for someone with oversight concerns" to contact himself or the committee.Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) echoed Cassidy's statements, saying he found it "rather astounding that anyone is concerned that government heads of agencies talk to the elected officials of the United States of America.""That is what they are supposed to do," Sanders said.Driving the news: The former CDC director insists that she was fired from the agency because she wouldn't rubber-stamp vaccine recommendations from a controversial committee without seeing scientific evidence to support them.The group, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, is set to meet Thursday to debate who should get the COVID-19, measles and hepatitis B vaccines.Monarez also told lawmakers on Wednesday that the committee plans to alter America's childhood vaccine schedule, which determines when kids should get vaccinated. Between the lines: Monarez and former CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry both expressed concerns to the senators about the vaccine committee's expected recommendations.Monarez said she was "very nervous" about the findings, citing the medical community's concerns about the committee members' professional backgrounds and experience evaluating data. Similarly, Houry said she has "significant concerns" about the committee's decision-making process as the group has not published any data for the public to review.Go deeper: Ex-CDC director: RFK Jr. planning September vaccine changesThis story has been updated with the HHS response.

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