LIVE: Dems Launch MAJOR SHADOW HEARING on TRUMP HEALTH ATTACK

The Trump administration and Secretary Kennedy are accused of dismantling America's health research engine by cutting $16 billion in funding for critical areas like cancer, Alzheimer's, and diabetes. This has driven top scientists abroad and allowed vaccine misinformation to hinder new treatments. Additionally, they rolled back food and water safety regulations, sold out to corporate polluters, and gutted public health programs, leading to increased diseases.

The host states, 'They have cut $16 billion in funding for cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes research, driving top scientists abroad... They've rolled back food and water safety. They've sold out to corporate polluters. They've gutted public health programs.'

The administration allegedly declared 'war on vaccines' by politicizing expert advisory committees, restricting access to COVID and childhood vaccines, and censoring safety data. This has led to confusion, declining vaccination rates, and a rise in preventable illnesses. Dr. Jernigan, a former CDC director, resigned due to actions undermining evidence-based science.

The host states, 'Secretary Kennedy and the president and the administration have essentially declared war on vaccines.' Dr. Jernigan adds, 'I resigned... because I could no longer stand behind actions that undermined evidence-based decision-making, the practice of science, and CDC's core mission.'

Despite promises of healthier foods, the administration's policies have made food unaffordable, especially healthy basics. They slashed food safety workers, removed food assistance for children, and made it easier to dump chemicals into food and water, increasing cancer-causing emissions.

The host notes, 'We have unaffordable food, sky-high prices, especially for basics like beef and other clear proteins. Fruits and vegetables, the costs have gone up.' Mr. Faber states, 'The administration slashed food safety workers and took food assistance away from more than 700,000 children.'

The EPA is accused of weakening and delaying drinking water standards for PFAS, allowing more of these 'forever chemicals' into water and food. The FDA has refused to set limits on PFAS in food and approved new pesticides containing PFAS, directly contradicting public health goals.

Mr. Ruffalo states, 'Weakening and delaying drinking water standards for PFAS is not making America healthy again.' He adds, 'Donald Trump's FDA with Robert Kennedy Jr... has so far refused to set limits on how much PFAS can be in our food.'

The administration executed sweeping reductions in force at the CDC, purging over a quarter of its workforce, including epidemiologists and data scientists. Funding has been destabilized, with hundreds of millions withheld or delayed, preventing communities from sustaining life-saving programs and retaining staff.

Dr. Jernigan testifies, 'The administration has executed sweeping reductions in force... purged over a quarter of CDC's workforce.' He also mentions, 'Hundreds of millions of dollars are currently being withheld.'

The HHS and National Cancer Institute inexplicably ended funding for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium (PBTC), a specialized network vital for childhood brain cancer research. Additionally, $500 million in public investment into mRNA vaccine research, including for cancer, was canceled, delaying promising therapeutic technologies.

Mr. Agin states, 'In August 2025, HHS and National Cancer Institute leadership inexplicably made the decision to end funding for the PBTC.' He also notes, 'public investment into mRNA vaccine research totaling approximately $500 million was canceled.'

The U.S. experienced its worst measles outbreak in over three decades in 2025, with vaccination coverage rates dropping below herd immunity thresholds. Whooping cough cases also surged, and the federal childhood immunization schedule was overhauled, reducing universally recommended vaccines without new evidence.

Dr. Patel states, 'In 2025, the United States had its worst measles outbreak in over three decades.' She adds, 'The federal childhood immunization schedule was recently overhauled, reducing universally recommended vaccines from protecting against 17 diseases to only 11.'

Cuts to the federal workforce and the elimination of USAID's emergency pandemic threats program have severely weakened America's ability to respond to global health crises. This is directly linked to the current Ebola outbreak in Africa, which is now the third largest despite being recently identified.

Dr. Jernigan explains, 'We are seeing right now an Ebola outbreak that has been facilitated by cuts to the federal workforce.' He adds, 'the states and the federal government are less ready right now for a pandemic than we were before the last pandemic.'

The administration placed the entire CDC staff responsible for monitoring vapes and youth on administrative leave and began authorizing flavored vapes. This deregulation occurred shortly after the president's PAC received a $5 million donation from Reynolds company, which profits from selling these products.

Dr. Jernigan confirms, 'NBC News reported that the Trump administration placed the entire the entire CDC staff responsible for monitoring vapes and youth on administrative leave, correct? That is correct.' The representative adds, 'public reports showed that the president's PAC received a $5 million donation from Reynolds company.'