Congresswoman Nikema Williams Demands Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s Immediate Resignation

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) led members of the Congressional Mamas Caucus, including Representatives Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Summer Lee (PA-12), and Kelly Morrison (MN-03), demanding the resignation of Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The letter addresses their concerns with his ongoing efforts to undermine public trust in childhood vaccinations and his dismantling of long-standing, science-based public health protections.

Sec. Kennedy has taken every opportunity to sow doubt about the efficacy of time-tested vaccinations. Under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has reversed course on numerous critical vaccine policies, including:

• Limiting COVID-19 vaccine recommendations to only high-risk populations,
• Requiring doctor consultations for COVID-19 vaccinations, and
• Rolling back support for the combined MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox.

Beyond ACIP’s changing recommendations hurting families’ bottom line, changing recommendations, not based on scientific evidence, inject uncertainty and distrust into the public discourse around vaccination and public health more broadly.

The members wrote: 

“Your reckless disregard for the health of our children, and demonstrated opposition to the scientific consensus in support of routine childhood vaccinations, makes you wholly unqualified for your position.”

“When parents choose not to vaccinate their children, they are impacting not only their own children, but also limiting the herd immunity on which children who cannot be vaccinated rely. Providing families, pediatricians, and insurers misleading information about the safety of vaccinations has consequences – and our children have borne the brunt of your disregard for established science.”

“In light of your blatant disregard for children’s health, your continued leadership is dangerous. For the safety of our children and trust in public health, we call on you to resign from your position as Secretary of Health and Human Services.”

Read the full letter here.