U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, representing Wisconsin, has issued a subpoena to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for records concerning COVID-19 vaccine safety data and communications related to the pandemic. This action was announced on January 28, 2025, during Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee.
Senator Johnson’s subpoena is part of an ongoing effort to obtain unredacted records about the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine safety from the Biden administration. According to Johnson, HHS and its agencies have withheld critical health information from both him and the public. He claims that many of his oversight letters to the administration were ignored or inadequately addressed.
“In the waning days of the Biden administration and after years of obstructing my oversight efforts,” stated Sen. Johnson, “I warned HHS officials that when I become chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, I will subpoena records and data on the COVID-19 pandemic that have been inappropriately withheld from Congress and the American people for far too long.”
Johnson further emphasized his commitment by stating, “Just days after being named chairman of the Subcommittee, I have kept my word.” He confirmed issuing a subpoena for documents regarding government responses to COVID-19—including Dr. Anthony Fauci’s emails—and details on vaccine development and safety.
The subpoena mandates HHS to provide several specific items:
1. Previously withheld or heavily redacted communications about the pandemic, including approximately 50 pages of Dr. Fauci’s emails.
2. Safety surveillance data on COVID-19 vaccines.
3. Unredacted records related to myocarditis and pericarditis cases post-vaccination.
4. Data on vaccine lots linked with higher adverse event rates.
5. Order forms showing government purchases of DNA sequences from a biotech company.
6. All communications related to HHS’s response or lack thereof to oversight letters since January 2021.
HHS is expected to comply with this request by February 18, 2025.
Senator Johnson’s questioning of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as details about this subpoena, are available online.
