Joco Today

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), appeared on Fox News’ "The Story with Martha MacCallum" to discuss the Senate Finance Committee hearing with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. During the interview, Marshall praised Kennedy for increasing transparency at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and criticized Democratic lawmakers for their approach to vaccine policy.

Marshall described the hearing as contentious and highlighted what he sees as a difference in approach between Democrats and Republicans regarding health care policy. He said, “Wow. You know, Secretary Kennedy has some of the thickest skin I’ve ever seen. He’s a fighter. I didn’t realize how hard it was going to be to change America’s sick care system into a health care system. I think everyone goes to their instincts here. For the Democrats, the political instinct is to be the big brother. They want to be overly prescriptive. That here’s all these vaccines that you can take – there are 20 vaccines, 76 shots we want you to take, every one of them. Secretary Kennedy and myself want more transparency. I want to present the evidence to you and your significant other, and your children, how it applies to you."

He continued by questioning current vaccine recommendations for newborns: "I don’t know why they think everybody needs a hepatitis vaccine. Every baby on day number one, I delivered a baby most every day for 25 years, if the mom had a negative hepatitis test, she’s in a stable, monogamous relationship, she’s not doing IV drugs – there’s no way that that baby is going to have hepatitis. We don’t know what those 76 jabs are doing in that baby’s immune system. So, let’s be a little bit more measured."

Marshall clarified his position on vaccines generally: "Look, I’m a big fan of polio vaccinations, MMR, the DPT, vaccines have done great work, but every person doesn’t need every vaccine available. Let’s be transparent. Let’s inform moms and dads and make decisions with your doctor. Democrats they want to tell you what to do.”

Addressing questions about mRNA COVID-19 vaccines developed during Operation Warp Speed under President Trump’s administration, Marshall stated: “You know, absolutely, Martha, look, Warp Speed was a miracle. What President Trump and his team accomplished was absolutely a miracle. We had a novel virus that nobody had ever seen – there was no immunity to it. It was made by a lab in Wuhan, and it was killing millions of people. So, at the time, that vaccine was very important. Today, multiple of us have great immunity, and not everybody needs that vaccine right now. We should be very measured on who gets this.”