Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has dropped a fresh batch of emails from the Health and Human Services (HHS) that suggest HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. may have been leaning on the CDC in ways that go beyond typical policy disagreements.

Sanders, a key member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), released the emails on Thursday. They were provided by former CDC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Debra Houry and appear to show Kennedy pushing the CDC to change its vaccine messaging and limit access to vaccines.

According to the emails, Kennedy allegedly told the CDC's vaccine advisory panel to restrict vaccine availability, allowed researchers to access confidential data to support the debunked theory that vaccines cause autism, and modified public guidelines for COVID-19 vaccinations without consulting the CDC.

Other emails show that Matthew Buckham, Kennedy's former chief of staff, discussed with ex-CDC Director Susan Monarez in August the need for political review of major CDC decisions. Less than a week later, Kennedy fired Monarez for not approving recommendations from the CDC's vaccine panel, Sanders said.

One email shows a senior adviser to RFK Jr. asking about removing vaccines from the Vaccines for Children program, which provides free immunizations to eligible kids. Sanders also accused Kennedy of repeatedly misleading Congress about vaccine recommendations and public access to vaccines.

The CDC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

CDC Cuts Face Growing Scrutiny

This all comes as the CDC has been slashing its own operations. The agency recently stopped testing for 27 infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and rabies, as part of downsizing under HHS. Since Kennedy became HHS secretary in February 2025, the CDC has undergone major cuts and revised its COVID-19 vaccine and childhood immunization recommendations, drawing criticism from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The CDC says it will still provide information about those diseases on its website.

President Donald Trump's proposed fiscal 2027 budget seeks a 12.5% cut to the Health Department as part of broader reductions in non-defense spending.

Kennedy has also faced heat from Congress over proposed health budget cuts and vaccine policy changes. During a heated hearing, Rep. Linda Sánchez criticized the CDC's decision to scale back pro-vaccine messaging amid measles outbreaks. Kennedy acknowledged that a child who died of measles in Texas "could possibly" have been saved by vaccination, but he didn't directly defend the policy.

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