September 5, 2025 - WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) and 21 other Senators in filing a Resolution of Disapproval against Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., expressing that the Senate and the American people have zero confidence in his ability to carry out his responsibilities as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and demanding that he resign or be fired. 

The resolution highlights Kennedy’s many violations of multiple laws and of public trust through his conspiracy-based, anti-science agenda, as well as his failure to meet the obligations of the role to protect public health. It comes after Kennedy’s recent dismantling and weaponizing of key HHS offices and committees, including the unjustified firing of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for pushing back against his unscientific, reckless directives as well as dismissing the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and other key health experts. Kennedy has also abruptly canceled vital research grants and repeatedly spread dangerous health misinformation.

“Since taking office, Secretary Kennedy has made us all less safe by firing the CDC’s director and vaccine advisory panel, pushing them out for refusing to rubber stamp his baseless, anti-scientific vaccine recommendations and conspiracy theories,” said Senator Padilla. “He’s cut half a billion dollars from lifesaving vaccine research and development and dismantled our nation’s frontline against diseases and viruses, all while blocking CDC experts from even briefing him about measles, COVID, and flu outbreaks. It’s clear that RFK Jr. is far too reckless and inexperienced to lead our country’s public health defense, and I call on him to resign immediately so that we can restore trust in HHS.”

Over 20 states have filed lawsuits against Secretary Kennedy’s actions and more than 1,000 current and former HHS employees demanded yesterday that he resign.

In addition to Padilla and Alsobrooks, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) also signed the Resolution of Disapproval. 

Protect Our Care, Public Citizen, Reproductive Freedom For All, 314 Action, Accountable.us, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and Defend Public Health have endorsed the resolution. 

Senator Padilla previously blasted Kennedy’s anti-science, anti-vaccine record as HHS Secretary. Earlier this year, Padilla delivered remarks on the Senate floor to oppose Kennedy’s nomination and raise the alarm on the disastrous public health implications of his confirmation. Padilla called out Kennedy for his severe lack of qualifications and his record of peddling dangerous public health misinformation. As co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus, Padilla also condemned Secretary Kennedy’s proposed dissolution of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration as part of the HHS restructuring plan and the White House Office of Management and Budget’s HHS budget proposal. Full text of the Resolution of Disapproval is available here.

Source: Senator Alex Padilla