HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., makes his way to the inaugural Great American Farmers Market on the National Mall on Monday, August 4, 2025 (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who is a member of the panel, told reporters that Kennedy would face "hard questions" from committee members, particularly over frustrations over Monarez, who was confirmed by the Senate less than a month before her ouster.
"He's gotta take responsibility… we confirm these people," the South Dakota Republican said. "We go through a lot of work to get them confirmed. And they’re in office a month?"
Speculation has swirled over the reason behind Monarez’s firing given her differing stance on vaccines compared to Kennedy, who spent much of his presidential campaign and tenure as secretary going after the efficacy and safety of vaccination, particularly those for COVID-19.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who chairs the Senate health committee and was the deciding vote that propelled Kennedy to a role in the Trump administration, is also set to question the secretary.
Last week, he demanded that the federal government’s vaccine advisory panel, which was filled with Kennedy’s handpicked replacements after he recently booted the original panel members, postpone its scheduled meeting in September until "significant oversight" was carried out by his committee, and charged that any recommendations made by the advisory panel should be rejected until then.
RFK JR. DETAILS HOW HE PLANS ON RESTORING PUBLIC TRUST IN THE CDC IN NEW OP-ED
President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., another member of the Senate Finance Committee, told Fox News Digital that his line of questioning would focus on the abortion drug Mifepristone and its safety, but added that it was "fair" for lawmakers to have debate over Kennedy’s leadership of the CDC and HHS.
"It's typical for any secretary that comes up, but I'm sure many of these issues that have been raised are related to some concerns. These questions are going to be asked, and I’m grateful that the Secretary will be there to explain what he sees going on and the path forward," he said.
Meanwhile, Kennedy defended his moves at the CDC in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece on Tuesday, and contended that "President Trump has asked me to restore that trust and return the CDC to its core mission."
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He wrote that steps have already been taken to "eliminate conflicts of interest and bureaucratic complacency" at the agency, and that leaders who "resisted reform" had already been replaced.
"Most CDC rank-and-file staff are honest public servants," Kennedy said. "Under this renewed mission, they can do their jobs as scientists without bowing to politics. The agency will again become the world authority on infectious-disease policy."
"First, the CDC must restore public trust — and that restoration has begun," he continued. "It won’t stop until America’s public-health institutions again serve the people with transparency, honesty and integrity."
Fox News Digital reached out to the HHS for comment but did not hear back immediately.
Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hhs-secretary-robert-f-kennedy-jr-face-senate-panel-after-cdc-turmoil