Overview

• Sen. Angus King and Sen. Ron Wyden secured the signatures needed for an October floor vote to reinstate the long‑standing Richardson Waiver that Kennedy rescinded.
• Susan Monarez, fired 29 days into her tenure as CDC director, testified that she was ousted for refusing to preapprove vaccine‑schedule changes and dismiss career vaccine staff.
• Kennedy’s reworked advisory panel narrowed Covid‑19 vaccination to routine eligibility for people 65 and older, prompting some pharmacy chains to halt offerings in parts of the country or require prescriptions.
• Kennedy and President Trump publicly linked acetaminophen use in pregnancy to autism, a claim widely rejected by medical experts and autism advocates.
• Maine’s divide sharpened as Sen. Susan Collins defended her confirmation vote but said she will question Kennedy, Gov. Janet Mills said GOP backers were misled, and calls for his resignation intensified, including from former CDC leader Debra Houry.