Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Senators Open Inquiry Into Whether RFK Jr. Lied About 2019 Samoa Trip
AP: Senators Probe RFK Jr.'s Samoa Trip Testimony After AP And Guardian Showed Documents That Refute It
Two Democratic senators are launching an investigation into whether Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lied to Congress about his reason for a 2019 trip to Samoa after The Associated Press and The Guardian published documents in August refuting his testimony. AP and Guardian reporting in August showed that while Kennedy repeatedly told senators who held the key to his confirmation last year that his visit to Samoa before a deadly measles outbreak had “nothing to do with vaccines,” a letter he sent to the Samoan prime minister ahead of the trip showed otherwise. In the letter, Kennedy used the words vaccine or vaccination eight times. (Swenson, 11/12)
The New York Times: Kennedy’s Future: Will Democrats Try To Impeach Him, Or Actually Work With Him?
Most Democrats abhor the health secretary’s stance on vaccines, but some see an opportunity to win voters from his MAHA movement by joining with him on food and environmental issues. (Stolberg, 11/12)
Stat: Sen.-Elect Abdul El-Sayed On The State Of Public Health And RFK Jr.
Abdul El-Sayed will soon become the first epidemiologist in the Senate at a moment that would keep anyone with a public health background up at night. More than 5,000 Americans have been sickened by the measles this year and the United States is expected to lose its formal measles elimination status by the end of the month. Dengue fever is spreading in Florida, respiratory virus season is underway, and the United States just weathered a foodborne illness outbreak that sickened more than 20,000. (Florko, 11/13)
In related news about measles —
Bloomberg: CDC Director Backs Vaccine As Measles Deaths Mount Across US
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is promoting the measles vaccine as the country is on the precipice of losing its global status for eliminating the disease, Director Erica Schwartz said Thursday. Schwartz said the US “may or may not lose” measles elimination status after a scientific meeting at the Pan American Health Organization this week assesses whether the virus has spread continuously for a year. (Cohrs Zhang and Nix, 11/12)
The Guardian: CDC Reports Six Measles Deaths In 2026 As US Battles Worst Outbreak In 35 Years
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported six measles-related deaths in the US this year, according to figures published on its website on Thursday, as the country faces its most severe resurgence of the disease in decades. The newly reported total is twice the number of deaths recorded in 2025, highlighting the spread of the highly infectious virus, which was officially declared eliminated in the US in 2000. (Dunbar, 11/12)
More news from Capitol Hill —
Military.com: Bipartisan Bill Aims To Cut VA 'Red Tape' And Speed Up Health Care Innovation
Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky., introduced a bipartisan bill Nov. 10 aimed at helping the Department of Veterans Affairs cut through bureaucratic delays and speed up the development of new health care treatments and technology for veterans. The Innovation for VA Technology and Entrepreneurship Act, known as the INNOVATE Act (H.R. 10984), is co-sponsored by Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas. The measure seeks to strengthen innovation efforts within the agency and expand access to emerging medical tools. (Dennis, 11/13)
Bloomberg: Democrats’ Affordability Vows Face Reality Test In Congress
For the incoming Democratic majority in Congress, running on affordability and the cost of living was an obvious choice. Now comes the hard part: making good on all those campaign promises. Democrats have said they will act quickly to restore health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, and to reverse cuts to Medicaid and food benefits enacted by the Trump administration and congressional Republicans. (Mann, Roy and Dlouhy, 11/12)
KFF Health News: 'What The Health? From KFF Health News': How Would They Fix It?
The Democrats’ near sweep of the midterms has placed health reform firmly near the top of the national agenda. As fodder for the debate, KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner launched a project this year called “How Would You Fix It?” It features interviews with public officials, stakeholders, and thought leaders from across the ideological spectrum about how to make the U.S. healthcare system work better. This week’s podcast features insights from entrepreneur Mark Cuban, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.). (11/12)
