Lawmakers Lash Out at White House Over Hahn Testimony on COVID-19

Leaders of the House Energy and Commerce committee on Friday lashed out at the Trump administration for allegedly blocking Commissioner Stephen Hahn from testifying about the agency’s COVID-19 response.

Hahn participated in a teleconference late last month with a bipartisan group of committee members, who expressed concerns about the agency’s regulatory independence. They requested that Hahn appear before the committee this month (DID, Sept. 1).

In a joint statement issued Friday, Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Health Subcommittee Chairwoman Ana Eshoo (D-Calif.) accused the White House of blocking Hahn from testifying before the committee. They said Americans deserved to hear Hahn’s response to their concerns and how he is ensuring that the agency’s decisions are based on science and not political pressure.

“The White House’s muzzling of the FDA’s top scientist further injures public trust and confidence in FDA,” the lawmakers said.

The White House seems less concerned about Hahn testifying before the Republican-controlled Senate. He is scheduled to testify before the Senate’s Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Wednesday.

President Trump has repeatedly suggested a vaccine could be ready before the Nov. 3 presidential election, and he has accused agency officials of intentionally delaying a decision on a vaccine until after that date.

However, Hahn has publicly and repeatedly pledged not to intervene in decisions made by career staff on COVID-19 vaccine approvals and has said he would resign rather than agree to an approval that is not based on science. — Jordan Williams