00:00They are limited to five minutes of questioning.
00:02Again, as I stated before, we're going to adhere by that today.
00:08For committee custom, the witness will have the opportunity for a five-minute opening statement.
00:14We are today the sickest country in the world.
00:17We have the highest death rate during COVID of any nation on earth.
00:22And that's because of our chronic disease epidemic.
00:25That's because we have the highest chronic disease burden of any country in the world.
00:28So throwing money at this agency has not worked.
00:33We need to realign the agency.
00:35We need to recalibrate its trajectory so that it transforms our health care system from a sick care system into a health care system.
00:47NIH should be telling us what are seed oils doing to our children?
00:52What is corn syrup doing to our children?
00:57What are food dyes doing to our children?
01:00What is the packaging and microplastics doing to our children?
01:05What are pesticides doing to our children?
01:08None of those studies were being done.
01:10Studies that were being done by NIH and many...
01:13Let me give you an example of the few that I cut.
01:16There was a study, a $2.2 million study from Boston University to study the effects of exogenous testosterone therapy on communication in gender-diverse speakers.
01:29We got a $3 million study at the University of Pennsylvania that studied anti-vaping social media campaigns targeted towards sexual gender minorities, teens, between 13 and 18.
01:44We got a million dollars from the University of Mission to study sexual fluidity and longitudinal changes in alcohol misuse.
01:53The chair now recognizes the gentlelady from Washington State, Dr. Schreier, for five minutes of questioning.
02:03Now, I know Senator Cassidy had concerns about your views on this.
02:08And so, when he voted to confirm you as Secretary of HHS on February 4th, he explained that decision by saying on the Senate floor that, quote,
02:20if confirmed, you will maintain the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes.
02:29But then two weeks ago, you fired all 17 experts on that very committee.
02:35Mr. Secretary, a question for you.
02:38Did you lie to Senator Cassidy when you told him you would not change this panel of experts?
02:43I never made that agreement.
02:46So, are you saying that Senator Cassidy lied when he was on the Senate floor, lied to the American people?
02:52I didn't see that statement by Senator Cassidy.
02:55I've only heard it from you.
02:56But if he said that I agreed to it, it would be inaccurate.
02:59I made an agreement with him.
03:02I made an agreement with him.
03:04And he and I have talked many times about that agreement.
03:07My time.
03:08I just want to tell you that for most of us sitting here right now, we believe Senator Cassidy more than we trust you when it comes to vaccinations.
03:17It sounds to me like you gave him the answer he needed to hear in order to get his confirmation vote.
03:24And then as soon as you were secretary, you turned around and did whatever you want.
03:29You fired all 17 members.
03:32I'm complying with all the agreements that I gave to Senator Cassidy.
03:36Mr. Secretary, you're now on the record.
03:37You lied to Senator Cassidy.
03:39You have lied to the American people.
03:41You have lied to parents about vaccines for 20 years.
03:45And I also want to be clear that I will lay all responsibility for every death from a vaccine-preventable illness at your feet.
03:56I yield back.
03:58The gentlelady yields.
03:59The chair now recognizes the gentleman.
04:01What do you see HSS becoming if the injunction lifted with the reduction in force in place?
04:07You know, the people who are subject to the injunction force are on administrative leave.
04:12And they will remain on administrative leave until the injunction is lifted.
04:17At that point, we will make decisions.
04:21And, you know, in some cases, there have been gaps in our ability to perform our duties.
04:28I've brought people back.
04:30I've brought 722 people back to CDC.
04:34I brought 220 people back to NIH because we were not able to perform our job.
04:42And I brought 313 people back to NIOSH for the World Trade Center, for the Cleveland office, and the Morgantown office.
04:51They were doing important work that we did not – that was critical.
04:56Representative Pallone, for five minutes of questioning.
04:59Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
05:01And Secretary Kennedy – the Secretary – Ms. Secretary, the science is not on your side.
05:06I just really think that people are going to die as a result of your actions and congressional Republicans' actions.
05:13It's actually not our first time meeting.
05:16We met a very, very long time ago when I was nine years old.
05:20Why did you nearly double the rate that taxpayer dollars give for-profit insurance companies like United next year, if you don't know those things?
05:35Double the rate?
05:36How did I do that?
05:36So your agency nearly doubled the taxpayer dollars that for-profit insurance corporations like United will be paid next year, meaning these companies, the largest of whom is under investigation, criminal investigation by the Trump administration, will be receiving an additional $25 billion from your agency.
05:57How is that happening?
05:59I would be happy to submit to the congressional record evidence of this.
06:05For five minutes of questioning.
06:07Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
06:08Secretary Kennedy, I want to ask you about – I'd like to bring your attention to termination of HIV vaccine studies.
06:14These cuts make up $258 million.
06:18Secretary Kennedy, did you make the decision to terminate these studies?
06:23I didn't personally make that decision, but I understand.
06:26You sanctioned them.
06:27How could you possibly justify such an action?
06:31We've been studying an HIV – I've been promising an HIV vaccine since 1984.
06:38And every year, Congress pours money into it, and every year –
06:41Because they haven't come up with what you did.
06:42Every year it accomplishes nothing.
06:43You then cut the forward motion by getting rid of NIH dollars that critically do research that save lives, and because it hasn't happened yet –
06:51Show me one life.
06:51It's my time.
06:53Show me one life.
06:53It's my time, sir.
06:54Show me one.
06:55I can show you a whole lot of lives if you've got a minute.
06:57I mean, I'm insulted that you would suggest that there aren't lives that have been lost.
07:01People are dying every day, sir.
07:03And for you to say, show me one, there are people all over this country that are suffering the loss of their loved ones.
07:08First, I'd just like to offer you a moment to respond to the outlandish claims that were put in front of you just now.
07:14You know, as I said, we've got 27 HIV divisions.
07:19Some of those were cut.
07:20Some of the studies that were not – where we poured billions of dollars in and they were yielding nothing have been cut.
07:26We're looking for a real solution, and we're looking to do evidence-based, gold-standard science.
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