Official transcripts or recordings of the Senate hearing

McConnell Warns Trump's HHS Nominee RFK Jr. Over Polio Vaccine Skepticism

Dec 13, 2024, 10:50 PM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a polio survivor, has issued a stern warning to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Health and Human Services (HHS), regarding his association with efforts to undermine public confidence in the polio vaccine. This comes after reports that Aaron Siri, a lawyer advising Kennedy on health policy, had previously petitioned to revoke the approval of the polio vaccine. McConnell, who has faced lifelong effects from the disease, emphasized the vaccine's role in saving millions of lives and its potential to eradicate polio. He criticized any attempts to challenge the vaccine's efficacy and safety, stating that such efforts are not only uninformed but also dangerous. Kennedy, tasked with making 'America healthy again,' has been a vocal critic of childhood vaccines, although he has claimed he would not seek to remove vaccines from the public but rather ensure they are properly studied and that people have informed choices. McConnell's statement suggests that anyone seeking Senate confirmation must distance themselves from such efforts.