Dec. 10, 2025Up to date Dec. 11, 2025, 11:18 a.m. ET
WASHINGTON – Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have given Well being and Human Providers Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. two causes to be in a foul temper.
First, a congresswoman filed formal articles of impeachment on Dec. 10 towards Kennedy, the nation’s high public well being official. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Michigan, who’s operating for an open Senate seat in her state, denounced the previous presidential candidate and vaccine skeptic in her measure, which has no probability of passing the Republican-controlled Home of Representatives.
“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has imperiled the well being and security of the American individuals, eroded public confidence within the Nation’s public well being establishments, and stalled a long time of scientific and medical progress,” Stevens wrote within the impeachment articles.
The certain-to-fail measure got here simply days after a Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention advisory panel voted to rescind suggestions that new child infants obtain an instantaneous first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine. The controversial choice drew outrage from public well being consultants and even some congressional Republicans.
Andrew Nixon, the highest HHS spokesperson, accused Stevens of enjoying political video games.
“Secretary Kennedy stays centered on bettering People’ well being and reducing prices, not on partisan theatrics designed to raise standing in a failing, third-rate Senate bid,” Nixon mentioned in a press release to USA TODAY.
Later within the day, Kennedy drew a second, separate rebuke from the Senate. Three Republicans – Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Thom Tillis of North Carolina – crossed get together traces to hitch with Democrats and advance a decision of disapproval towards HHS for limiting public participation within the company’s regulatory actions.
In late February, the division dropped a coverage courting again to 1971 referred to as the Richardson Waiver, which requires HHS to solicit suggestions about its grants and contracts. Critics have mentioned the shift was meant to restrict pushback to Kennedy’s new well being insurance policies. HHS argued that the general public participation necessities have been “opposite to the environment friendly operation of the Division.”
Nixon didn’t touch upon the Senate’s decision.
Zachary Schermele is a congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You’ll be able to attain him by electronic mail at zschermele@usatoday.com. Observe him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.
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