A move by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to terminate a series of federal contracts for mRNA vaccine research is being directly challenged by members of Congress. Congress is preparing to invest more than a billion dollars into the same technology he’s trying to get rid of. It’s a shocking decision that has drawn heavy criticism from public health experts, and a number of prominent administration officials, including the President, have failed to defend it.
According to a report from Stat News, the Republican-led House Appropriations Committee is advancing a revised spending package that would invest $1.1 billion for “advanced research and development” at the Center for Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and a part of that funding is specifically for mRNA vaccines.
This directly snubs RFK Jr.’s decision to wind down federal investments in the technology, which included terminating nearly half a billion dollars in grants. While this isn’t a guarantee that the federal funds will be used for this research, it’s fresh evidence that Kennedy’s move isn’t the final say on the matter.
RFK won’t remove vaccines without Congress stepping in
The decision has already drawn severe condemnation from experts. Dr. Jerome Adams, a former surgeon general under Donald Trump, said (per MSNBC), “I’ve tried to be objective [and] non-alarmist in response to current HHS actions — but quite frankly this move is going to cost lives.” Mike Osterholm, a University of Minnesota expert on infectious diseases, also chimed in, telling The Associated Press, “I don’t think I’ve seen a more dangerous decision in public health in my 50 years in the business.” When you hear a seasoned pro in public health say something is the most dangerous decision they’ve seen in five decades, it’s pretty clear this is a huge deal.
The public outcry is understandable because this is about a true game-changing and lifesaving scientific breakthrough. The New York Times reported back in May that to scientists, “mRNA is a miracle molecule,” and that the COVID-19 vaccines that used it saved an estimated 20 million lives. The quick development of these vaccines was even recognized with a Nobel Prize. It’s a pretty big deal.
“People are going to die.”
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) August 10, 2025
Trump’s former Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams rips RFK Jr. for canceling nearly $500 million in grants and contracts for mRNA vaccine development pic.twitter.com/0fU7NksPjN
Beyond just vaccines, mRNA research has raised hopes for potential treatments and even cures for deadly cancers and a whole host of other genetic and chronic diseases. This is why it’s so concerning to see the Health Secretary taking steps to intentionally terminate this research.
Even Donald Trump, who is the President and put RFK Jr. in charge of the public health infrastructure, has celebrated these vaccines, calling them a “modern-day miracle.” The fact that he’s in charge of a guy who thinks Wi-Fi causes “leaky brain” is pretty wild to think about. It’s hard to imagine anyone with a science background being on board with this, and the swift action from Congress to work around the Health Secretary’s decision shows that lawmakers feel the same way.
