WATCH: Press Conference Recording
Washington D.C. – Ahead of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Congressional budget hearings, 314 Action and Protect Our Care were joined by members of the Democratic Congressional Doctors’ Caucus Representatives Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) and Kelly Morrison, M.D. (MN-03), and autism advocates to demand accountability for his dangerous, anti-science actions, which have caused Americans to get sicker while health care costs skyrocket.
Health care affordability is Americans’ #1 economic worry, but Donald Trump and RFK Jr. have turned their back on our nation’s health to pay for an illegal war and tax breaks for billionaires.
This week, 314 Action released a national poll that shows RFK Jr. is a clear liability coming into the midterms and his MAHA coalition lacks a true base. Protect Our Care also released a new report on Kennedy’s most harmful actions to date, ‘RFK Jr. vs. Public Health’.
Read excerpts from the press conference below:
Congressman Ami Bera, M.D., Representative of California’s 6th Congressional District:
“Before I get started: President Trump, I did go to medical school. I did do a residency. This is what a doctor looks like. Don’t try to fake it. We’ve got to stop politicizing science. This is about the facts. We’ve got to start funding science…If Donald Trump’s asking us for a billion dollars or more a day to fight a war that nobody wants, let’s give a billion dollars a day to give people health care, to promote science, to invest in research.”
Congresswoman Kelly Morrison, M.D., Representative of Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District:
“Our health care system is broken, and RFK Jr. is making it worse. Health care costs are rising. Millions of Americans are losing their insurance. One in three Americans are having to skip meals, cut back on utilities, drive less or put out things like buying homes or having children just to be able to afford health care.”
Brad Woodhouse, President, Protect Our Care:
“Ever since Donald Trump even thought about nominating RFK Jr., we have raised the alarm about him, about what he would do. We told Bill Cassidy what he would do. We told Republican Senators that he’d roll back public health, roll back health care, harm people, increase measles, and he’s done it all.
“RFK Jr. is a grifter. He’s a conspiracy theorist. We’re probably going to lose measles elimination status this year. Every time he projects vaccine skepticism, guess what? Fewer people get vaccinated. I’ve got a good way for Donald Trump to keep RFK Jr. quiet on vaccines. Fire him.”
Cameron Lynch, Policy Analyst, Autistic Self Advocacy Network:
“For the last year, Secretary Kennedy has spent his time saying lies about autism—just like he has for decades. There have always been autistic people, and autistic people are part of every community. If RFK Jr. cared about autistic people, he wouldn’t be overseeing the nearly $1 trillion cuts to Medicaid, decreasing access to support that so many autistic people use and wasting government resources to suggest autism is caused by vaccines or any other medicine.”
Erik Polyak, Executive Director, 314 Action:
“This isn’t hypothetical. We’re already living with the consequences of RFK Jr.’s leadership. On his watch, we’ve seen the worst measles outbreak in 25 years. Children are getting sick from diseases we’ve effectively eliminated because he spent years undermining confidence in childhood vaccines and now leads HHS medical research has stalled. Clinical trials into cancer and Alzheimer’s have been halted. Life saving work has stopped, and when he gets in front of Congress today, he’s going to lie about all of it.”
“Nine in 10 Americans want this research funded, and RFK Jr. is asking Congress to defund it. That’s not a policy disagreement. That’s political malpractice, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican, Democrat or Independent. Cancer doesn’t check your voter registration.”
Full recording here.
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314 Action is the only national organization working to elect scientists across all levels of government—from the Senate down to local school boards. The organization is powered by a grassroots community of over six million people supporting scientists, doctors, and STEM professionals who will use science and facts to address our most pressing issues like climate change and health care.