March 12, 2025

Wyden, Merkley Demand HHS Secretary Kennedy Launch National Vaccination Campaign to Stop Spread of Measles and Save Lives

Senators: “Increasing vaccine misinformation and hesitancy has lowered vaccination rates, leading to outbreaks like we are seeing today”

Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today called for immediate action from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy, Jr. to stop the spread of measles and save lives after our country experienced the first measles deaths in a decade.  

Measles, once declared eliminated in the U.S. over two decades ago, has infected at least 223 individuals in 13 U.S. jurisdictions. 

“Unfortunately, two of these cases have resulted in the tragic deaths of a child in Texas and a resident in New Mexico. These mark the first U.S. deaths from measles in 10 years. It is imperative that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) act immediately and robustly to stop the spread of this preventable infection and save American lives,” the senators wrote in a letter to Secretary Kennedy. 

To prevent further infections and protect vulnerable populations, the lawmakers pressed Kennedy to increase vaccination rates: “More must be done to increase vaccination rates against measles. Clear communication that vaccines work is imperative to build trust and increase uptake of vaccinations, ultimately saving lives. Therefore, it is critical that HHS utilize its authorities to promote vaccination against measles as the most effective way to prevent infection to improve vaccination rates and prevent future outbreaks.”

Stressing the importance of reinstating public health workers indiscriminately fired by the Trump administration, the senators concluded, “We urgently request that you reinstate all fired federal health workers and protect those remaining from termination to help stop the spread of measles and other infectious diseases.”

 In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the letter was led by Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and signed by Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Fetterman (D-PA), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.). 

Full text of the letter is here.