WEBVTT 00:00.009 --> 00:02.176 I ask unanimous consent that the chair 00:02.176 --> 00:04.231 be authorized to declare a recess at 00:04.231 --> 00:06.342 any time without objection so ordered 00:06.342 --> 00:08.176 and I ask unanimous consent that 00:08.176 --> 00:10.342 members may have five legislative days 00:10.342 --> 00:12.176 to revise and extend the remarks 00:12.176 --> 00:14.359 without objection so ordered . I want 00:14.369 --> 00:16.536 to welcome everyone to this hearing of 00:16.536 --> 00:19.200 the military personnel subcommittee's 00:19.209 --> 00:21.440 to address a matter of paramount 00:21.450 --> 00:23.659 importance how the Department of 00:23.670 --> 00:26.590 Defense Monitoring of COVID-19 has 00:26.600 --> 00:29.809 impacted our military ranks and the 00:29.819 --> 00:32.639 implications of the COVID-19 vaccine on 00:32.650 --> 00:34.830 the health and well being of our 00:34.840 --> 00:37.259 servicemen and women . Over the past 00:37.270 --> 00:39.437 four years , the COVID-19 pandemic has 00:39.437 --> 00:41.779 presented unprecedented challenges to 00:41.790 --> 00:44.459 our nation and its armed forces . As 00:44.470 --> 00:47.259 the virus has become just another part 00:47.270 --> 00:49.500 of the yearly flu season , we need to 00:49.509 --> 00:51.342 look with clear eyes and healthy 00:51.342 --> 00:53.549 skepticism at how the department 00:53.560 --> 00:56.310 handled the pandemic , the effects of 00:56.319 --> 00:58.540 the virus and vaccines on our service 00:58.549 --> 01:00.630 members health . And if the 01:00.639 --> 01:02.639 department's policies and practices 01:02.639 --> 01:05.470 actually mitigated any risk to service 01:05.480 --> 01:07.919 members and their families . Many 01:07.930 --> 01:10.097 service members and their families are 01:10.097 --> 01:12.263 concerned with the safety and value of 01:12.263 --> 01:14.860 the COVID-19 MRN A vaccine . Prompting 01:14.870 --> 01:17.949 questions about adverse reactions and 01:17.959 --> 01:21.000 unforeseen circumstances most 01:21.010 --> 01:22.677 concerningly related to heart 01:22.677 --> 01:25.379 conditions and hypertension in a young 01:25.389 --> 01:28.459 military population . And the data is 01:28.470 --> 01:32.139 worrying . In 2022 we saw heart 01:32.220 --> 01:34.930 rated conditions like hypertension and 01:34.940 --> 01:38.809 cardio . My myopathy 01:38.819 --> 01:42.120 among service members increased by 47% 01:42.129 --> 01:45.550 and 94% respectively . Over dod 01:45.559 --> 01:48.389 averages in addressing this pandemic . 01:48.400 --> 01:50.511 There is no doubt that the department 01:50.511 --> 01:52.289 has made mistakes and that some 01:52.289 --> 01:55.449 decisions were made for political gain 01:55.580 --> 01:57.930 rather than based on science . In fact . 01:58.349 --> 02:00.330 So today we seek clarity for the 02:00.339 --> 02:02.450 service members who took the COVID-19 02:02.450 --> 02:04.819 vaccine for their families and for 02:04.830 --> 02:07.163 everyone's future health and well being . 02:07.230 --> 02:09.580 We seek to understand the extent to 02:09.589 --> 02:11.619 which the Department of Defense has 02:11.630 --> 02:13.919 monitored the impact of COVID-19 on our 02:13.929 --> 02:16.259 military personnel including any 02:16.270 --> 02:18.492 potential correlation between the virus 02:18.492 --> 02:20.869 itself and the development of medical 02:20.880 --> 02:24.000 conditions . Moreover , we aim to 02:24.009 --> 02:25.842 examine the data surrounding the 02:25.842 --> 02:28.089 administration of the COVID-19 vaccine 02:28.100 --> 02:30.970 within our ranks , evaluating its 02:30.979 --> 02:34.940 safety profile and any observed trends 02:34.949 --> 02:36.727 in adverse reactions and health 02:36.727 --> 02:39.160 outcomes as stewards of our nation's 02:39.169 --> 02:42.000 defense . It is incumbent upon us to 02:42.009 --> 02:44.669 ensure the well being of those who wear 02:44.679 --> 02:47.179 the uniform . We owe it to our service 02:47.190 --> 02:49.301 members to provide them with the best 02:49.301 --> 02:51.600 possible care and support especially in 02:51.610 --> 02:54.240 times of crisis . By convening this 02:54.250 --> 02:56.472 hearing , we demonstrate our commitment 02:56.472 --> 02:58.528 to transparency , accountability and 02:58.528 --> 03:01.449 above all the health and safety of our 03:01.460 --> 03:03.669 military community . I would like to 03:03.679 --> 03:05.990 welcome our witnesses , Doctor Lester 03:06.000 --> 03:07.722 Martinez Lopez , the assistant 03:07.729 --> 03:09.951 Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs 03:09.951 --> 03:12.380 at the Department of Defense and Dr 03:12.529 --> 03:15.910 Shana Stallman , senior 03:15.919 --> 03:17.863 epidemiologist of the Armed Forces 03:17.863 --> 03:20.270 Health Surveillance Division at the 03:20.279 --> 03:22.669 Defense Health Agency pub Public Health . 03:22.949 --> 03:25.210 Thank you for being here today . I hope 03:25.220 --> 03:27.442 this hearing provides us an opportunity 03:27.442 --> 03:29.498 for our members to have a productive 03:29.498 --> 03:31.498 exchange be before hearing from our 03:31.498 --> 03:33.720 witnesses . Let me offer ranking member 03:33.750 --> 03:35.850 Tutta an opportunity to make any 03:35.860 --> 03:39.369 opening remarks . Thank you , Mr Chair . 03:39.380 --> 03:41.436 Thank you to our witnesses for being 03:41.436 --> 03:43.380 here today and providing testimony 03:43.380 --> 03:45.491 regarding the Department of Defense's 03:45.491 --> 03:47.380 Health Surveillance efforts which 03:47.380 --> 03:49.547 includes monitoring health threats and 03:49.547 --> 03:51.713 emerging infections , bio surveillance 03:51.713 --> 03:53.936 and epidemiological analysis to include 03:53.936 --> 03:56.213 the impacts of infections and vaccines . 03:56.213 --> 03:57.991 As a member of the House select 03:57.991 --> 04:00.213 sub-committee on the Coronavirus , I am 04:00.213 --> 04:01.936 not unfamiliar with efforts to 04:01.936 --> 04:04.047 politicize science behind vaccines to 04:04.047 --> 04:05.991 the detriment of public health and 04:05.991 --> 04:08.158 national security . I cannot emphasize 04:08.158 --> 04:10.269 enough the importance of using a fact 04:10.269 --> 04:10.190 driven science based approach to this 04:10.199 --> 04:12.500 conversation today . Let's focus on the 04:12.509 --> 04:14.679 facts , safe and effective COVID-19 04:14.690 --> 04:16.579 vaccine options have been readily 04:16.579 --> 04:18.801 available since 2021 . According to the 04:18.801 --> 04:20.579 CDC . In the 1st 10 months that 04:20.579 --> 04:22.801 COVID-19 vaccines were available , they 04:22.801 --> 04:24.968 saved over 200,000 lives and prevented 04:24.968 --> 04:27.730 over 1.5 million hospitalizations in 04:27.739 --> 04:29.961 the United States . This is the purpose 04:29.961 --> 04:32.010 of these vaccines to save lives and 04:32.019 --> 04:34.170 prevent severe illness . While the 04:34.179 --> 04:36.290 military COVID-19 vaccine requirement 04:36.290 --> 04:39.579 was rescinded . In January 2023 96% of 04:39.589 --> 04:41.970 the active and reserve force over 1.9 04:41.980 --> 04:44.399 million people safely received one or 04:44.410 --> 04:46.510 more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine . 04:46.950 --> 04:49.172 Vaccine requirements have long standing 04:49.172 --> 04:51.394 precedent in our armed forces since the 04:51.394 --> 04:53.506 founding of the US , military vaccine 04:53.506 --> 04:55.506 requirements have been necessary to 04:55.506 --> 04:57.283 preserve military readiness and 04:57.283 --> 04:59.228 personnel safety . From Ge General 04:59.228 --> 05:00.839 George Washington's smallpox 05:00.839 --> 05:03.006 vaccination of the Continental Army in 05:03.006 --> 05:05.117 1777 to the flu vaccine requirement . 05:05.117 --> 05:07.228 In the mid 20th century . Today , the 05:07.228 --> 05:09.283 department administers as many as 17 05:09.283 --> 05:11.394 different vaccinations . And while it 05:11.394 --> 05:13.006 was in effect , the COVID-19 05:13.006 --> 05:15.117 vaccination requirement helped ensure 05:15.117 --> 05:17.172 that our armed forces remain healthy 05:17.172 --> 05:19.283 and medically ready . Service members 05:19.283 --> 05:21.339 that have received COVID-19 vaccines 05:21.339 --> 05:23.450 have done so . Under the most intense 05:23.450 --> 05:25.450 safety monitoring program in United 05:25.450 --> 05:27.617 States history , the CDC , the FDA and 05:27.617 --> 05:29.617 other federal partners use multiple 05:29.617 --> 05:31.839 passive and active surveillance systems 05:31.839 --> 05:33.394 and data sources to conduct 05:33.394 --> 05:35.339 comprehensive safety monitoring of 05:35.339 --> 05:37.506 COVID-19 vaccines . And the Department 05:37.506 --> 05:39.450 of Defense conducts near real time 05:39.450 --> 05:41.617 monitoring and research on the impacts 05:41.617 --> 05:43.839 of COVID-19 vaccinations and infections 05:43.839 --> 05:45.783 through the military health system 05:45.783 --> 05:47.672 studies continue to show that the 05:47.672 --> 05:49.839 benefits of COVID-19 vaccines outweigh 05:49.839 --> 05:51.950 the risk yet concern and apprehension 05:51.950 --> 05:53.783 regarding the safety of COVID-19 05:53.783 --> 05:56.212 vaccinations do still exist . This may 05:56.221 --> 05:59.312 be due in large part to a fundamental 05:59.321 --> 06:01.377 misunderstanding of the department's 06:01.377 --> 06:03.532 COVID-19 vaccine surveillance data , 06:03.541 --> 06:05.441 which has unfortunately been the 06:05.451 --> 06:07.507 subject of misleading news stories . 06:07.507 --> 06:09.673 Over the past year . The Department of 06:09.673 --> 06:11.451 Defense's monitoring efforts of 06:11.451 --> 06:13.562 COVID-19 have reported a small number 06:13.562 --> 06:15.729 of increases in adverse health effects 06:15.729 --> 06:17.451 following the COVID-19 vaccine 06:17.451 --> 06:19.618 requirement . But correlation does not 06:19.618 --> 06:21.784 imply causation . Legitimate questions 06:21.784 --> 06:23.840 remain as to the root cause of these 06:23.840 --> 06:26.062 identified adverse health effects . The 06:26.062 --> 06:28.229 overarching question for today's panel 06:28.229 --> 06:30.284 is one of paramount importance . Are 06:30.284 --> 06:32.395 there long term effects from COVID-19 06:32.395 --> 06:34.451 on our service members ? And if so , 06:34.451 --> 06:36.618 how do we discern whether any increase 06:36.618 --> 06:38.784 in reported adverse health effects are 06:38.784 --> 06:40.951 attributable to the virus itself or to 06:40.951 --> 06:43.118 the vaccine ? To address this question 06:43.118 --> 06:45.062 comprehensively , we must approach 06:45.062 --> 06:47.007 today's discussion with scientific 06:47.007 --> 06:49.118 rigor ensuring that we prioritize the 06:49.118 --> 06:51.284 health and safety of our all volunteer 06:51.284 --> 06:53.507 force as a whole above all else . As we 06:53.507 --> 06:55.840 navigate the complexities of this issue , 06:55.840 --> 06:58.062 we must acknowledge the profound impact 06:58.062 --> 07:00.173 that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on 07:00.173 --> 07:02.340 the operational readiness of our armed 07:02.340 --> 07:04.229 forces . First and foremost , the 07:04.229 --> 07:06.118 pandemic resulted in thousands of 07:06.118 --> 07:08.284 hospitalizations across the department 07:08.284 --> 07:10.229 and the tragic loss of hundreds of 07:10.229 --> 07:12.451 lives . It also had far-reaching second 07:12.451 --> 07:14.673 and third order effects on our military 07:14.673 --> 07:14.625 including disruptions in training 07:14.635 --> 07:16.413 exercises and deployments , the 07:16.413 --> 07:18.265 mobilization of military medical 07:18.274 --> 07:20.441 personnel to support civilian pandemic 07:20.441 --> 07:22.552 response efforts and negative impacts 07:22.552 --> 07:24.714 to military family quality of life 07:24.725 --> 07:26.954 issues like delays and move child care 07:26.964 --> 07:29.075 and health care access . At the heart 07:29.075 --> 07:31.075 of today's discussion regarding the 07:31.075 --> 07:33.075 department's monitoring of COVID-19 07:33.075 --> 07:35.131 lies a fundamental commitment to the 07:35.131 --> 07:37.186 health and well being of our service 07:37.186 --> 07:39.353 members that must ultimately include a 07:39.353 --> 07:41.464 shared dedication to transparency and 07:41.464 --> 07:43.575 facts grounded in scientific evidence 07:43.575 --> 07:45.742 Mr Chairman , I'd like to request that 07:45.742 --> 07:47.853 the Department of Defense's report on 07:47.853 --> 07:47.850 cardiac and kidney issues and service 07:47.859 --> 07:49.803 members prior to and following the 07:49.803 --> 07:51.915 COVID vaccine requirement be included 07:51.915 --> 07:53.915 in the record for today's hearing . 07:54.700 --> 07:56.867 Thank you , Mr Chair Congress required 07:56.867 --> 07:59.519 this report in fiscal year 23 NDA A and 07:59.529 --> 08:01.696 it serves as an example of the careful 08:01.696 --> 08:03.362 and thoughtful monitoring the 08:03.362 --> 08:05.585 department is doing . Thank you again , 08:05.585 --> 08:07.640 Mr Chair for this hearing And I look 08:07.640 --> 08:07.619 forward to our witness testimony and 08:07.630 --> 08:09.797 their responses to questions that will 08:09.797 --> 08:12.019 be posed today . I yield the balance of 08:12.019 --> 08:14.241 my time . Thank you . I understand that 08:14.241 --> 08:16.297 uh you have one consolidated opening 08:16.297 --> 08:18.297 statement . We respectfully request 08:18.297 --> 08:20.352 that you summarize your testimony in 08:20.352 --> 08:22.352 five minutes or less . Your written 08:22.352 --> 08:24.519 comments and statements were made part 08:24.519 --> 08:24.470 of the will be made part of the hearing 08:24.480 --> 08:26.859 record following opening statements . 08:26.869 --> 08:29.091 Each member will have an opportunity to 08:29.091 --> 08:31.399 question the witnesses for a very 08:31.410 --> 08:34.989 liberal five minutes . Um With that Dr 08:35.140 --> 08:37.084 Martinez Lopez , you may make your 08:37.084 --> 08:39.849 opening statement , German Banks , 08:40.030 --> 08:42.549 ranking me , Takura , distinguished 08:42.559 --> 08:45.090 members of the subcomittee . We are 08:45.099 --> 08:47.630 pleased to represent the office of the 08:47.640 --> 08:49.859 Secretary of Defense to discuss the 08:49.869 --> 08:51.679 department's ongoing health 08:51.690 --> 08:53.746 surveillance of the force related to 08:53.746 --> 08:56.770 COVID-19 in the aftermath of the global 08:56.780 --> 09:00.020 pandemic . This testimony provides the 09:00.030 --> 09:02.308 committee with information on some key , 09:02.308 --> 09:05.159 some of the key data used to track the 09:05.169 --> 09:07.940 health of service members and provides 09:07.950 --> 09:10.489 updates on some past and future studies 09:10.609 --> 09:13.719 related to the impact of COVID-19 on 09:13.729 --> 09:15.729 the health of the service members . 09:16.489 --> 09:18.820 Service members like all members of our 09:18.830 --> 09:21.510 nation experience the effects of the 09:21.520 --> 09:25.190 global COVID-19 pandemic . However , 09:25.559 --> 09:28.369 unlike the civilian population , when 09:28.380 --> 09:31.150 service members , particularly those 09:31.159 --> 09:34.539 deployed or an operational units became 09:34.549 --> 09:37.900 sick with COVID-19 , it impacts 09:37.909 --> 09:41.690 national security . This is an 09:41.700 --> 09:44.489 unacceptable risk for the military and 09:44.500 --> 09:47.599 our nation as part of force health 09:47.609 --> 09:50.159 protection . The Department of Defense 09:50.190 --> 09:52.900 took actions to blunt the impact of the 09:52.909 --> 09:55.299 pandemic on the force and to maintain 09:55.309 --> 09:57.739 operational readiness . This was 09:57.750 --> 10:00.179 achieved primarily through force health 10:00.190 --> 10:03.020 protection measures like vaccinations , 10:03.049 --> 10:06.960 testing , masking symptom , symptom , 10:06.969 --> 10:10.719 monitoring and remote work work . These 10:10.729 --> 10:13.520 actions saved lives and resulted in 10:13.530 --> 10:16.559 less severe disease and fewer fewer 10:16.570 --> 10:19.159 hospitalization among those service 10:19.169 --> 10:20.960 members that were infected . 10:21.650 --> 10:24.760 Nevertheless , the impact of COVID-19 10:24.770 --> 10:27.450 lingers with some semi ser service 10:27.460 --> 10:30.510 members and veterans like just like 10:30.520 --> 10:33.349 many other Americans are experiencing 10:33.489 --> 10:35.809 the long term effect of COVID-19 10:35.820 --> 10:39.210 infections including long COVID and 10:39.219 --> 10:42.599 heart related conditions . As we seek 10:42.609 --> 10:45.549 to keep the total force healthy and on 10:45.559 --> 10:48.119 mission , the department monitors for 10:48.130 --> 10:50.799 infectious diseases and a range of 10:50.809 --> 10:53.580 other health threats . We do this 10:53.590 --> 10:56.010 through a dedicated staff with public 10:56.020 --> 10:58.640 health commands co located with 10:58.650 --> 11:01.099 military units around the world . In 11:01.109 --> 11:03.609 addition , we have a team of analysts 11:03.690 --> 11:06.630 evaluating the data for trends and 11:06.640 --> 11:09.210 investigating any signal that are 11:09.219 --> 11:12.250 identified . One of the primary tools 11:12.260 --> 11:15.099 this health threats analysts used to 11:15.109 --> 11:17.479 answer complex epidemiological 11:17.489 --> 11:20.239 questions is a relational database 11:20.250 --> 11:23.000 called the defense medical surveillance 11:23.010 --> 11:26.549 system or the MS S as the central 11:26.559 --> 11:29.429 repository of medical surveillance data 11:29.440 --> 11:32.479 for the US armed forces . The MS S 11:32.489 --> 11:35.830 contain up to date and historical data 11:35.840 --> 11:38.349 on diseases and medical events 11:38.609 --> 11:41.590 including in patient and ambulatory 11:41.599 --> 11:44.330 medical encounters , immunizations , 11:44.559 --> 11:48.010 prescriptions , laboratory data , and 11:48.020 --> 11:50.010 deployment health assessment and 11:50.020 --> 11:53.200 casualty data . To enhance our ability 11:53.210 --> 11:55.719 to identify signals in the noise of 11:55.729 --> 11:58.330 infectious disease data . We have 11:58.340 --> 12:01.330 related capability to AD MS S called 12:01.340 --> 12:04.080 the defense Medical Epidemiology da 12:04.090 --> 12:07.440 Database or a de 12:07.630 --> 12:10.659 using its proper context is a useful 12:10.669 --> 12:13.770 tool tool for dod medical and public 12:13.780 --> 12:16.479 health professionals to monitor health 12:16.489 --> 12:19.289 trends among their local populations 12:19.309 --> 12:21.799 and identify potential issues that 12:21.809 --> 12:24.650 require further inquiry or research . 12:25.510 --> 12:29.099 The dod the data is compelling in 12:29.109 --> 12:31.630 looking at the impact of vaccine . The 12:31.640 --> 12:33.729 department's data show that on 12:33.739 --> 12:36.599 vaccinated individuals with a reported 12:36.609 --> 12:39.179 COVID-19 infection were at si 12:39.460 --> 12:42.840 significantly higher risk of developing 12:42.849 --> 12:45.960 three cardiac conditions , myocarditis , 12:45.969 --> 12:48.450 pericarditis and acute myocardial 12:48.460 --> 12:51.539 infarction compared to individuals who 12:51.549 --> 12:55.239 receive a COVID vaccine . Further , the 12:55.250 --> 12:58.559 dod data show that among the 31 active 12:58.570 --> 13:01.419 duty service members who died from 13:01.429 --> 13:04.500 COVID-19 , none of them were fully 13:04.510 --> 13:08.369 vaccinated . Now today , four years 13:08.380 --> 13:10.491 after the emergence of SARS COVID two 13:10.491 --> 13:13.260 virus , it continues to circulate in 13:13.270 --> 13:15.669 our military communities and evolve 13:15.679 --> 13:18.789 into new variants presenting an ongoing 13:18.799 --> 13:20.743 health threat capable of harming , 13:20.743 --> 13:23.609 harming service members and affecting 13:23.619 --> 13:26.460 operations . The department remains 13:26.469 --> 13:28.820 committed to protecting the health of 13:28.830 --> 13:31.000 the force and to better understand 13:31.010 --> 13:33.900 these impacts as we prepare for future 13:33.909 --> 13:37.130 health threats . Our ongoing studies 13:37.140 --> 13:38.918 will support the development of 13:38.918 --> 13:40.409 therapeutics and medical 13:40.419 --> 13:43.469 countermeasures . We will also continue 13:43.479 --> 13:45.535 to evaluate the relationship between 13:45.650 --> 13:48.719 COVID-19 infection or COVID-19 13:48.729 --> 13:51.500 vaccinations and cardiac conditions 13:51.510 --> 13:54.500 through surveillance and research . Our 13:54.510 --> 13:56.750 ongoing data surveillance will help 13:56.760 --> 13:59.789 inform future dod policy on for health 13:59.799 --> 14:02.830 protection , improve readiness and help 14:02.840 --> 14:06.030 prepare for and mitigate against future 14:06.039 --> 14:08.599 health threats . Thank you for inviting 14:08.609 --> 14:11.099 us here today to speak with you about 14:11.109 --> 14:13.390 the department's sales data which 14:13.400 --> 14:15.750 enables our ongoing surveillance of the 14:15.760 --> 14:18.809 impact of the COVID-19 and the force 14:18.989 --> 14:21.100 and the health of the force . We look 14:21.100 --> 14:23.211 forward to answering your questions . 14:23.359 --> 14:25.526 Thank you for your opening statement . 14:25.526 --> 14:27.526 I'll begin with questions and yield 14:27.526 --> 14:29.580 myself five minutes . Uh Doctor 14:29.590 --> 14:32.429 Martinez Lopez , I I find it convenient 14:32.440 --> 14:34.384 that in the report to Congress you 14:34.384 --> 14:37.090 cited in your testimony and the , the 14:37.099 --> 14:39.043 same report that the minority just 14:39.043 --> 14:40.877 entered into the record that the 14:40.877 --> 14:44.369 researchers chose to use 45 days as the 14:44.380 --> 14:47.479 at risk period following a COVID-19 14:47.489 --> 14:51.260 infection , but only 21 days for the at 14:51.270 --> 14:54.049 risk period following the COVID-19 14:54.059 --> 14:55.948 vaccination , especially when the 14:56.250 --> 14:58.194 administration and the , the Biden 14:58.194 --> 15:00.306 administration CDC told everyone that 15:00.306 --> 15:01.972 you weren't considered immune 15:01.972 --> 15:05.169 immediately after the shot . Seems to 15:05.179 --> 15:08.299 me like you were skewing the data to 15:08.309 --> 15:10.198 make it fit what you wanted , the 15:10.198 --> 15:12.309 conclusion to be by doing that and to 15:12.309 --> 15:14.570 justify your use of the vaccine . You 15:14.580 --> 15:16.802 also admitted that the sample sizes are 15:16.802 --> 15:19.789 inaccurate due to under reporting . So 15:19.799 --> 15:23.140 ho how are we to trust the department 15:23.150 --> 15:25.372 and the Biden administration for that ? 15:25.372 --> 15:27.372 That y'all are being honest when it 15:27.372 --> 15:29.539 reaches a conclusion , all that all of 15:29.539 --> 15:31.706 these medical problems were due to the 15:31.706 --> 15:33.690 infection and not the vaccine . Mr 15:33.700 --> 15:36.549 Chairman uh as a retired soldier 15:37.640 --> 15:39.751 and are now giving the opportunity to 15:39.751 --> 15:42.989 serve the safety and the health and the 15:43.000 --> 15:45.167 readiness of the force and the service 15:45.167 --> 15:47.278 members is the most important to me . 15:47.460 --> 15:51.359 Uh That the data is 15:51.369 --> 15:54.590 very clear , you know that you have 15:54.599 --> 15:56.820 higher risk of developing these 15:56.830 --> 15:59.260 conditions . If you got just got the 15:59.270 --> 16:01.340 disease without the vaccine , the 16:01.349 --> 16:03.571 vaccine doesn't exempt you from getting 16:03.571 --> 16:06.059 some of these uh comp complications , 16:06.469 --> 16:09.820 but it really does decrease the risk to 16:09.830 --> 16:12.840 the service members . Uh I would defer 16:12.849 --> 16:15.830 to talk to Stallman on the 45 versus 16:15.840 --> 16:19.000 the the timeline differential . 16:21.869 --> 16:24.809 Sure . Thank you as an epidemiologist 16:24.820 --> 16:27.109 with the DH A I am concerned as well 16:27.119 --> 16:29.119 with the health and wellness of our 16:29.119 --> 16:31.286 service members and we take reports of 16:31.286 --> 16:33.508 any increase in medical conditions that 16:33.508 --> 16:33.400 are potentially due to the vaccine or 16:33.409 --> 16:36.460 to the virus . Seriously . In that 16:36.469 --> 16:38.419 report , we worked with uh 16:38.429 --> 16:41.380 cardiologists specialists within DH A 16:41.390 --> 16:43.446 to determine the best risk window to 16:43.446 --> 16:45.668 use when looking at an adverse event in 16:45.668 --> 16:48.099 relation to the vaccine or to the virus . 16:49.340 --> 16:51.507 If you're looking at an event due to a 16:51.507 --> 16:53.820 vaccine , say five years later , it 16:53.830 --> 16:56.469 becomes less likely that that event is 16:56.479 --> 16:58.646 actually due to the vaccine because if 16:58.646 --> 17:00.646 you accumulated much more exposures 17:00.646 --> 17:02.368 over time . So in talking with 17:02.368 --> 17:06.030 cardiologists and SMES and in the work 17:06.040 --> 17:07.984 that the immunizations health care 17:07.984 --> 17:09.762 division has done in clinically 17:09.762 --> 17:11.429 following the myocarditis and 17:11.429 --> 17:14.349 pericarditis cases within dod . We knew 17:14.359 --> 17:16.760 that most myocarditis and pericarditis 17:16.770 --> 17:18.937 cases when they occurred due to result 17:18.937 --> 17:21.609 of vaccine will occur within 21 days 17:21.619 --> 17:23.780 after the vaccine . We also know in 17:23.790 --> 17:25.679 working with cardiologist experts 17:25.679 --> 17:28.469 within dod that if you're going to have 17:28.479 --> 17:30.368 myocarditis or pericarditis event 17:30.368 --> 17:32.520 following COVID-19 infection , it's 17:32.530 --> 17:34.641 most likely to show up within that 45 17:34.641 --> 17:36.760 day period . So we chose that period 17:36.770 --> 17:40.199 because we're using administrative data . 17:40.660 --> 17:44.079 We were not able to go in to confirm 17:44.089 --> 17:47.430 um that the event was clinically ruled 17:47.439 --> 17:49.550 out due to some other conditions . So 17:49.550 --> 17:51.772 using administrative data , you have to 17:51.772 --> 17:53.883 use a risk window period so that it's 17:53.883 --> 17:55.772 likely you're looking at an event 17:55.772 --> 17:57.995 that's due to your exposure . Ok . So o 17:57.995 --> 18:01.239 on that point , um either one of you 18:01.680 --> 18:03.624 can , can you tell me how many new 18:03.624 --> 18:05.736 cases of myocarditis there were among 18:05.736 --> 18:07.791 among active duty service members in 18:07.791 --> 18:08.560 2020 ? 18:14.069 --> 18:16.849 Thank you . Um There are around 18:17.780 --> 18:21.030 100 to 200 cases of new myocarditis 18:21.040 --> 18:23.207 among active component service members 18:23.207 --> 18:26.380 each year . What about 2020 ? Obviously , 18:26.390 --> 18:29.180 you track this . We do , but I do not 18:29.189 --> 18:31.411 have that exact number in front of me . 18:31.411 --> 18:33.969 OK . So according to dod data obtained 18:33.979 --> 18:36.589 by Senator Ron Johnson , there were 18:37.229 --> 18:41.089 275 new myocarditis cases 18:41.099 --> 18:44.609 among active service members in 2021 18:46.020 --> 18:47.020 which is a AAA 18:47.020 --> 18:50.959 151% more 18:50.969 --> 18:53.760 than average over the five years prior . 18:54.819 --> 18:56.986 Um , and the reason I bring that up is 18:56.986 --> 18:59.152 because I , I asked your office before 18:59.152 --> 19:01.263 this hearing to give me that specific 19:01.263 --> 19:03.375 number and you gave me the 20 instead 19:03.375 --> 19:05.375 of giving me the 2020 numbers , you 19:05.375 --> 19:07.652 gave me the 2021 number . So it's very , 19:07.652 --> 19:09.763 it's very suspicious why you wouldn't 19:09.763 --> 19:11.763 have that data available . When you 19:11.763 --> 19:13.986 have the exact , you had a , you had an 19:13.986 --> 19:15.708 exact answer for me for 2021 . 19:19.369 --> 19:21.550 Thank you . We do have the number . I 19:21.560 --> 19:23.890 do not have it in front of me . It 19:23.900 --> 19:26.459 takes our analysts time to write 19:27.099 --> 19:29.890 programming code to pull the data . It 19:29.900 --> 19:31.567 then has to be reviewed by an 19:31.567 --> 19:34.140 epidemiologist to ensure that the code 19:34.150 --> 19:35.983 is accurate , that the output is 19:35.983 --> 19:37.928 accurate and we will get you those 19:37.928 --> 19:40.094 numbers . Can you at least remember if 19:40.094 --> 19:42.206 there were fewer cases of myocarditis 19:42.206 --> 19:44.428 in 2020 than what they were in 2021 ? I 19:44.428 --> 19:47.270 mean , I believe they were higher in 19:47.280 --> 19:50.959 2021 than in 2022 . As the report . 19:51.829 --> 19:53.940 The duty report on cardiac and kidney 19:53.940 --> 19:56.640 issues shows there was more than a 10 19:56.650 --> 19:59.449 times increased rate in myocarditis 19:59.459 --> 20:01.626 among active component service members 20:01.626 --> 20:03.626 who had a recent COVID-19 infection 20:04.180 --> 20:06.930 compared to a 2.6 increase rate among a 20:06.979 --> 20:08.868 component service members who had 20:08.868 --> 20:11.146 recently received the COVID-19 vaccine . 20:11.439 --> 20:13.900 Um I'm going to yield five minutes to 20:14.069 --> 20:14.900 Mt Kuda . 20:17.880 --> 20:20.079 Thank you , Mr Chair . Just some um 20:20.089 --> 20:22.500 basic questions perhaps so that we get 20:22.510 --> 20:24.630 a better understanding of the , the 20:24.640 --> 20:26.696 research and the data that you folks 20:26.696 --> 20:28.473 have been doing . What does dod 20:28.473 --> 20:30.584 currently use the DM SS S the Defense 20:30.584 --> 20:32.696 Medical Surveillance System and D med 20:32.696 --> 20:34.862 uh defense medical ide epidemiological 20:34.862 --> 20:37.040 Database data for I'm just trying to 20:37.050 --> 20:38.939 get under an understanding of the 20:38.939 --> 20:40.883 regular practical uses of the data 20:40.883 --> 20:41.883 beyond research , 20:43.979 --> 20:47.060 congresswoman . Uh uh we take very 20:47.069 --> 20:49.199 seriously , I mean data to formulate 20:49.209 --> 20:51.630 policy is critical to us , especially 20:51.640 --> 20:54.359 when it comes to clinical policy . So 20:54.670 --> 20:56.837 I'm not the expert , I would defer but 20:56.837 --> 20:59.430 I'll , I'll open up saying we have two 20:59.439 --> 21:01.606 system , we have multiple system . The 21:01.606 --> 21:03.661 two key systems is that the MS S the 21:03.661 --> 21:05.772 Defense Medical Surveillance System , 21:05.920 --> 21:09.199 that's a uh uh relational database that 21:09.209 --> 21:11.500 encompass pretty much all the health , 21:11.510 --> 21:14.180 many of the health care points of uh 21:14.189 --> 21:16.189 every service member since nine , I 21:16.189 --> 21:19.229 think since 1990 . And then we have 21:19.239 --> 21:21.969 another system is called de the Defense 21:21.979 --> 21:24.079 Medical Epidemiological Database . 21:24.310 --> 21:26.699 That's not a database , that's a web 21:26.709 --> 21:29.939 based uh tool that actually can perform 21:29.949 --> 21:33.140 queries into the D MS S . But it's 21:33.150 --> 21:35.380 really for the field that's uh that 21:35.390 --> 21:38.579 information is not identifiable for a 21:38.589 --> 21:40.599 particular patient . So is that it 21:40.609 --> 21:42.609 gives you , gives the people in the 21:42.609 --> 21:44.720 field , an idea that something may be 21:44.720 --> 21:47.069 happening and that's what we want . But 21:47.079 --> 21:48.968 then if you have a question about 21:48.968 --> 21:51.079 something happening , then we have to 21:51.079 --> 21:53.023 do further studies using the other 21:53.023 --> 21:55.246 system , the D MS S . But I'll defer to 21:55.246 --> 21:57.468 doctor Almonds if she wants to expand . 21:59.650 --> 22:02.839 Yes . Thank you . D meed is used um 22:02.849 --> 22:05.959 more as hypothesis generating . It 22:05.969 --> 22:09.430 allows users to do certain limited 22:09.439 --> 22:11.880 canned queries of the data . The 22:11.890 --> 22:14.349 default output . If you do a , a que a 22:14.430 --> 22:17.739 query on DM me looking at um a certain 22:17.750 --> 22:20.479 I CD diagnostic code from a drop down 22:20.489 --> 22:22.839 list that you can choose the default 22:22.849 --> 22:25.199 output that it will give . You are uh 22:25.209 --> 22:27.219 include numbers of outpatient 22:27.229 --> 22:29.890 encounters uh with diagnoses made in 22:29.900 --> 22:32.459 the first diagnostic position . So it's 22:32.469 --> 22:35.280 a useful tool to get a quick idea of 22:35.290 --> 22:38.260 how common . Um We're seeing how uh 22:38.270 --> 22:40.326 commonly we're seeing encounters for 22:40.326 --> 22:42.829 certain conditions . Uh can also do uh 22:42.839 --> 22:45.400 very basic population level queries . 22:45.819 --> 22:47.819 It does not contain any information 22:47.819 --> 22:51.449 about a vaccine . Um The 22:51.459 --> 22:53.626 defense medical surveillance system is 22:53.630 --> 22:56.170 used by health analysts at the armed 22:56.180 --> 22:58.390 forces Health Surveillance Division uh 22:58.410 --> 23:00.900 to do comprehensive health surveillance 23:00.939 --> 23:03.900 uh for service members . It's the data 23:03.910 --> 23:07.270 source that feeds the D meed . So DME 23:07.280 --> 23:09.900 is refreshed uh on a approximately 23:09.910 --> 23:12.770 monthly basis with data from the D MS S 23:12.989 --> 23:16.430 uh but just a um a limited uh amount of 23:16.439 --> 23:18.459 those data . OK . Thank you . That 23:18.469 --> 23:20.580 differentiation is very helpful . You 23:20.580 --> 23:22.636 know , I think part of it is while D 23:22.636 --> 23:24.580 meed seems to be more of that open 23:24.580 --> 23:26.858 source that you have . It is also very , 23:26.858 --> 23:29.380 um it's , it's very limited . And if 23:29.390 --> 23:32.449 people do not understand that , in fact , 23:32.459 --> 23:34.126 it is an aggregated , it's an 23:34.126 --> 23:35.848 aggregated data set , it's not 23:35.848 --> 23:38.181 disaggregated . Um You know , obviously , 23:38.181 --> 23:40.070 because you have privacy issues , 23:40.070 --> 23:42.126 although you could potentially um to 23:42.126 --> 23:44.292 identify some of that , but because it 23:44.292 --> 23:47.010 is not um desegregated out , you really 23:47.020 --> 23:48.798 can't differentiate between new 23:48.798 --> 23:50.909 encounters , follow up encounters . I 23:50.909 --> 23:52.964 believe that's something that you've 23:52.964 --> 23:54.964 referenced in your testimony , that 23:54.964 --> 23:56.909 this D meed is very much limited , 23:56.909 --> 23:59.020 potentially open to misinterpretation 23:59.020 --> 24:01.187 of results for those that are using it 24:01.187 --> 24:03.353 um to , you know , in the field to try 24:03.353 --> 24:05.687 to figure out if something is happening . 24:05.687 --> 24:07.909 So my question would be given that it's 24:07.909 --> 24:07.449 subject to misinterpretation and it's 24:07.459 --> 24:09.681 very limited in its scope because it is 24:09.681 --> 24:11.237 aggregated . Has there been 24:11.237 --> 24:13.181 conversations about perhaps making 24:13.181 --> 24:15.292 damed more of a disaggregated type of 24:15.292 --> 24:17.126 system so that you can get truer 24:17.126 --> 24:19.237 results if you're actually using it . 24:19.237 --> 24:21.403 Um I mean , if not , it's always gonna 24:21.403 --> 24:22.737 be subject to potential 24:22.737 --> 24:24.681 misinterpretation by the users are 24:24.681 --> 24:26.737 limited by user understanding of the 24:26.737 --> 24:29.699 data that's um within it congresswoman . 24:29.810 --> 24:32.089 But I think the intent of the D met is 24:32.099 --> 24:34.650 to have it available across the force 24:34.760 --> 24:37.040 as the first trigger words . You have a 24:37.050 --> 24:39.050 question , you have a query . But I 24:39.050 --> 24:41.106 guess my concern is you have it as a 24:41.106 --> 24:43.050 first trigger . But if the user is 24:43.050 --> 24:45.161 unsophisticated to understand that it 24:45.161 --> 24:45.155 is limited , what you're gonna have out 24:45.165 --> 24:47.054 there is misinformation and false 24:47.054 --> 24:49.276 assumptions . So I do feel that we have 24:49.276 --> 24:51.498 to make sure when we do have these data 24:51.498 --> 24:53.554 sets that it gives the most accurate 24:53.554 --> 24:55.554 information possible . Um And is as 24:55.554 --> 24:57.554 user friendly as possible , I think 24:57.554 --> 24:59.680 right now , the way DME is , um you 24:59.689 --> 25:01.745 know , it is great that it's there , 25:01.745 --> 25:03.856 but I think it is going to be subject 25:03.856 --> 25:05.689 to more misinformation and false 25:05.689 --> 25:07.856 assumptions being made uh if users are 25:07.856 --> 25:09.745 unaware of its limitations uh and 25:09.745 --> 25:11.856 misinterpreting the data that they're 25:11.856 --> 25:11.479 getting from it . I know chair , I'm 25:11.489 --> 25:13.545 almost out of my time . So I'll just 25:13.545 --> 25:15.910 yield back to you . Thank you . Yield 25:15.920 --> 25:19.010 uh five minutes to Mr Gates . Doctor 25:19.020 --> 25:21.510 Martinez Lopez is the Department of 25:21.520 --> 25:23.910 Defense covering up vaccine injuries . 25:25.579 --> 25:29.219 Congressman . No . So who is Lieutenant 25:29.229 --> 25:32.819 Ted Macy ? Uh Congressman ? I I 25:32.829 --> 25:35.660 don't know the Lieutenant . Well , it's 25:35.670 --> 25:37.650 sort of the reason we're here on 25:37.660 --> 25:41.150 November 27th , 2023 . Navy Medical 25:41.160 --> 25:43.160 Corps Officer , Lieutenant Ted Macy 25:43.160 --> 25:45.327 shared a video on X where he expressed 25:45.327 --> 25:47.049 grave concern for his patients 25:47.049 --> 25:49.216 suffering after receiving the COVID-19 25:49.216 --> 25:51.327 vaccine . And according to Lieutenant 25:51.327 --> 25:55.319 Macy , he tried reporting the dod data 25:55.680 --> 25:58.180 from the D MD system to his superiors 25:58.189 --> 26:00.245 and he was subsequently silenced and 26:00.245 --> 26:02.520 punished . He lost access to the D MEED 26:02.530 --> 26:04.697 system . He's been removed from seeing 26:04.697 --> 26:07.089 his patients and has been relegated to 26:07.099 --> 26:09.321 some broom closet somewhere to continue 26:09.321 --> 26:11.210 his service . It seems to me that 26:11.210 --> 26:15.119 Lieutenant Macy has suffered more than 26:15.319 --> 26:17.375 the people who screwed up the D meed 26:17.375 --> 26:19.430 system . So why is this person being 26:19.430 --> 26:21.979 punished for trying to showcase data 26:21.989 --> 26:24.680 that was alarming congressman ? I , I'm 26:24.689 --> 26:26.619 not prepared uh to talk about the 26:26.630 --> 26:28.741 specifics of the Lieutenant because I 26:28.741 --> 26:30.963 really don't know . But I'll be glad to 26:30.963 --> 26:32.963 entertain uh , answer any questions 26:32.963 --> 26:35.189 regarding the system of the vaccines 26:35.199 --> 26:37.310 and our findings . Well , right . But 26:37.310 --> 26:39.532 part of the system and the vaccines and 26:39.532 --> 26:41.532 how we conduct oversight is that if 26:41.532 --> 26:43.699 there are whistle blowers who say that 26:43.699 --> 26:45.866 you're not doing your job , right ? If 26:45.866 --> 26:45.810 there are whistleblowers concerned 26:45.819 --> 26:48.719 about a cover up , you have to , 26:48.729 --> 26:50.896 there's a process by which that has to 26:50.896 --> 26:52.896 get to the inspector general and be 26:52.896 --> 26:54.562 reviewed . And in the case of 26:54.562 --> 26:56.396 Lieutenant Macy's concerns those 26:56.396 --> 26:58.500 languished for like more than five 26:58.510 --> 27:00.670 months . Do you have any reason why a 27:00.699 --> 27:02.588 request made through the chain of 27:02.588 --> 27:05.280 command to view this data that could 27:05.290 --> 27:07.123 illuminate concerns over vaccine 27:07.123 --> 27:10.640 injuries was smothered again . 27:10.650 --> 27:12.928 Congressman . I'm not prepared to talk . 27:13.599 --> 27:15.710 Ok , let's , let's get to what you're 27:15.710 --> 27:17.821 here to talk about . Let's get to the 27:17.821 --> 27:19.988 actual data that's so concerning since 27:19.988 --> 27:22.210 the people who raise concerns about the 27:22.210 --> 27:24.321 data , they get punished and we don't 27:24.321 --> 27:26.377 seem to remember them . Uh the , the 27:26.377 --> 27:29.770 hypertensive diseases up 23% 27:30.270 --> 27:32.569 when you compare the 2016 to 2020 27:32.579 --> 27:35.839 averages to cases in 2021 . Is that , 27:35.849 --> 27:37.949 does that sound right ? That sounds 27:37.959 --> 27:40.000 right . So , ok . So hypertensive 27:40.010 --> 27:42.760 disease is up 23% then ovarian 27:42.770 --> 27:45.790 dysfunction , up 35% . Does that sound 27:45.800 --> 27:49.380 right ? I'm not specific . Can we , 27:49.469 --> 27:51.802 does that sound right ? Doctor Stallman , 27:54.349 --> 27:56.609 I think you're referencing um something 27:56.619 --> 27:59.310 from an older document , but it could 27:59.319 --> 28:02.579 be , oh , I I'm referencing data from 28:02.589 --> 28:04.922 the defense medical surveillance system . 28:04.922 --> 28:06.811 Is that a system that you're both 28:06.811 --> 28:10.239 familiar with ? Yes . OK . So that 28:10.250 --> 28:12.699 system says that hypertensive disease 28:12.709 --> 28:16.310 is up 23% ovarian dysfunction , up 28:16.319 --> 28:19.939 35% pulmonary embolisms which as we all 28:19.949 --> 28:22.959 know can kill you up 43% 28:24.010 --> 28:26.140 myocarditis . As Chairman Banks was 28:26.150 --> 28:28.869 describing up 100 and 51% . 28:30.329 --> 28:32.670 Is it , is it really your testimony 28:32.680 --> 28:35.140 that these massive spikes in these 28:35.150 --> 28:37.670 serious ailments are a consequence of 28:37.680 --> 28:40.280 contracting COVID ? Is , is that your 28:40.290 --> 28:43.479 best medical opinion , Congressman ? Uh 28:43.489 --> 28:46.089 not all , but I mean many of them 28:46.099 --> 28:48.390 obviously were in dysfunction . There 28:48.400 --> 28:50.930 are reasons Ebola , there's other 28:50.939 --> 28:53.272 reasons but yes , there is an influence . 28:53.272 --> 28:55.495 There's a correlation not only from our 28:55.500 --> 28:58.750 data for but the data of CDC that yes , 28:58.780 --> 29:01.750 correlate uh COVID with having higher 29:01.760 --> 29:03.871 likelihood of having uh some of these 29:04.000 --> 29:06.056 me for not treating the CD , not the 29:06.180 --> 29:08.800 one but but the the other , the vaccine 29:08.810 --> 29:11.160 or the virus , the both the the virus , 29:11.189 --> 29:13.310 the virus and you know , like the 29:13.319 --> 29:15.541 cardiomyopathy is a little bit higher . 29:15.560 --> 29:17.782 The risk is much higher if you just get 29:17.782 --> 29:21.750 the disease , but you have a high an 29:21.760 --> 29:24.939 enhanced risk , not as big as when you 29:24.949 --> 29:27.469 get the infection , but you do get some 29:27.479 --> 29:29.535 risk from getting the vaccine . It's 29:29.535 --> 29:31.590 minimal . But yes . So , so there is 29:31.590 --> 29:33.739 vaccine risk associated with 29:33.750 --> 29:36.729 hypertensive diseases , right ? A 29:36.739 --> 29:39.489 hypertension help me out . 29:40.959 --> 29:43.181 No , not that I'm aware of . But . Ok . 29:43.181 --> 29:45.348 Well , how about ovarian dysfunction ? 29:45.348 --> 29:47.459 Not that I'm aware of . And how about 29:47.459 --> 29:49.570 pulmonary embolisms ? Yes . OK . So , 29:49.570 --> 29:51.792 so you're here giving us testimony that 29:51.792 --> 29:54.015 the vaccine increases someone's risk of 29:54.015 --> 29:56.359 pulmonary pulmonary in the the COVID 29:56.369 --> 29:58.480 virus does . I'm I'm I'm asking about 29:58.480 --> 30:00.702 the vaccine , the vaccine . No one that 30:00.702 --> 30:02.536 I know of . No . And , and , and 30:02.536 --> 30:04.869 myocarditis . You think there is a risk , 30:04.869 --> 30:06.925 slightly higher risk , but it's much 30:06.925 --> 30:09.147 higher than if , when you get the , the 30:09.147 --> 30:11.202 virus itself , when you get infected 30:11.609 --> 30:15.489 and , and to , to tease out those data 30:15.500 --> 30:17.459 distinctions , wouldn't it be 30:17.619 --> 30:20.930 responsible to assess these 30:20.939 --> 30:23.469 conditions in people who got the 30:23.479 --> 30:26.280 disease and were unvaccinated versus 30:26.290 --> 30:28.512 the people who got the disease and were 30:28.512 --> 30:30.346 vaccinated ? Has that type of an 30:30.346 --> 30:34.160 analysis been done ? We did 30:34.170 --> 30:36.750 look at this in the dod report on 30:36.760 --> 30:40.079 cardiac and kidney conditions , the 30:40.089 --> 30:42.520 information stratified by all the 30:42.530 --> 30:44.308 different ways vaccinated , not 30:44.308 --> 30:46.239 vaccinated . Uh Those are not all 30:46.250 --> 30:48.417 included in the report . I do have the 30:48.417 --> 30:51.229 data on that when we reported the uh 10 30:51.239 --> 30:54.800 times increase rate due to um recent 30:54.810 --> 30:56.588 infection that is adjusting for 30:56.588 --> 30:58.310 vaccination status . It's also 30:58.310 --> 31:00.650 adjusting for demographic risk factors , 31:00.660 --> 31:04.650 including age , and BM I R . Right . So , 31:04.660 --> 31:07.079 did that analyze ovarian dysfunction ? 31:08.030 --> 31:11.329 Did it analyze pulmonary embolisms ? It 31:11.339 --> 31:13.709 did not and did it analyze hypertensive 31:13.719 --> 31:17.449 diseases ? It did not ? Well , I 31:17.459 --> 31:20.569 mean , we got thousands more people 31:21.579 --> 31:23.989 than the average in 2021 getting 31:24.000 --> 31:26.349 hypertensive diseases , thousands more 31:26.359 --> 31:28.415 people getting ovarian dysfunction , 31:28.415 --> 31:30.470 thousands more people or I'm sorry , 31:30.470 --> 31:32.849 hundreds more people uh getting these 31:32.859 --> 31:35.119 uh these pulmonary embolisms . What 31:35.130 --> 31:38.310 what's the case against analyzing those 31:38.319 --> 31:40.160 conditions that have seen these 31:40.170 --> 31:43.189 increases in the vaccinated versus the 31:43.199 --> 31:44.199 unvaccinated . 31:48.319 --> 31:50.800 We are continuing to do surveillance on 31:50.810 --> 31:53.380 these conditions and we are opening 31:53.390 --> 31:56.329 open to doing additional work on this 31:56.479 --> 31:58.646 with chronic conditions . It is tricky 31:58.650 --> 32:00.483 to look at that in relation to a 32:00.483 --> 32:02.483 vaccine . Is a pulmonary embolism a 32:02.483 --> 32:04.483 chronic condition or is it an acute 32:04.483 --> 32:06.317 condition ? We can look at acute 32:06.317 --> 32:08.428 condition ? Yeah , I I you know , you 32:08.428 --> 32:10.428 you your medical knowledge goes far 32:10.428 --> 32:12.483 beyond mine , but I would consider a 32:12.483 --> 32:12.260 pulmonary embolism . Acute , not 32:12.270 --> 32:14.949 chronic with hypertension . It could be 32:14.959 --> 32:18.010 difficult uh to get causal evidence to 32:18.020 --> 32:20.242 link that to the vaccine . But yes , we 32:20.242 --> 32:22.464 can look at acute outcome , right ? But 32:22.464 --> 32:24.520 see that's what , that's how you get 32:24.520 --> 32:26.687 the causal evidence . The reason there 32:26.687 --> 32:26.680 are people concerned that the dod is 32:26.689 --> 32:28.856 engaging in a cover up here is because 32:28.856 --> 32:30.467 you seem to be willfully and 32:30.467 --> 32:32.189 purposefully ignorant to those 32:32.189 --> 32:34.625 comparisons on these ailments that are , 32:34.635 --> 32:37.444 that are skyrocketing now for pregnant 32:37.454 --> 32:39.510 women , for people who get pulmonary 32:39.510 --> 32:41.944 embolisms for people with hypertension . 32:41.954 --> 32:43.843 And in the one area you've looked 32:43.843 --> 32:45.734 myocarditis , you're here giving 32:45.744 --> 32:48.305 testimony that , that actually causes 32:48.314 --> 32:50.760 this increased risk factor . And so Mr 32:50.770 --> 32:52.826 Chairman , I , I hope we continue to 32:52.826 --> 32:54.714 follow up on this because my deep 32:54.714 --> 32:56.714 concern is that there is a cover up 32:56.714 --> 32:58.714 here and that they're playing games 32:58.714 --> 33:00.937 with the data so that we can't actually 33:00.937 --> 33:03.103 assess whether it's the vaccine or the 33:03.103 --> 33:05.103 ailment that is causing these acute 33:05.103 --> 33:07.214 conditions . And I mean , wouldn't it 33:07.214 --> 33:09.326 be a tragic thing to have to discover 33:09.326 --> 33:11.381 that we hurt people with the vaccine 33:11.381 --> 33:13.381 more so than the virus did with the 33:13.381 --> 33:15.492 ailment , particularly in a condition 33:15.492 --> 33:17.603 where now the CDC , whose opinion , I 33:17.603 --> 33:19.492 guess we treat like the gospel is 33:19.492 --> 33:21.659 saying that you , oh , you just should 33:21.659 --> 33:23.714 quarantine for 24 hours after you're 33:23.714 --> 33:25.714 done with your fever . So they have 33:25.714 --> 33:27.770 evolving sensibilities on this . And 33:27.770 --> 33:29.992 the only way we get to the bottom of it 33:29.992 --> 33:29.449 is is that that data comparison ? I 33:29.459 --> 33:31.403 thank the chair's indulgence and I 33:31.403 --> 33:33.570 yield back . Thank you . I , I agree . 33:33.570 --> 33:35.403 That's why we asked for the 2020 33:35.403 --> 33:37.515 figures . And I , I didn't ask you on 33:37.515 --> 33:37.250 the record before , but will you please , 33:37.260 --> 33:41.089 will you submit the 2020 figures 33:41.099 --> 33:43.390 to the committee ? Can we take that for 33:43.400 --> 33:46.329 the record ? Yes , sir . Ok , Mr Moylan . 33:48.219 --> 33:50.880 Thank you , Mr Chairman uh Doctor 33:50.890 --> 33:53.959 Martinez . Lopez . Uh And by the way , 33:53.969 --> 33:56.302 thank you for your service and military . 33:56.302 --> 33:58.247 I appreciate that . And , uh , our 33:58.247 --> 34:02.160 guard unit back in Guam Air and Army 34:02.170 --> 34:04.020 were also very responsive to the 34:04.030 --> 34:06.349 COVID-19 situation . They played a big 34:06.359 --> 34:09.449 role in supporting our island and our 34:09.459 --> 34:11.790 Adjutant General . Uh He has a lot of 34:11.800 --> 34:14.133 medical background too . He's a surgeon , 34:14.133 --> 34:16.648 he's a surgeon as well . Uh He's really 34:16.658 --> 34:18.880 concerned now , we need to be ready for 34:18.880 --> 34:20.880 the next public health emergency on 34:20.880 --> 34:22.936 Guam . After all , we're in the pean 34:22.936 --> 34:24.714 region . We're the most western 34:24.714 --> 34:27.108 territory . Um We need to protect our 34:27.239 --> 34:30.770 community and our and our troops . So 34:30.929 --> 34:33.151 what I need to know is your interest in 34:33.159 --> 34:35.429 the indo peal area specifically in Guam 34:35.510 --> 34:38.219 to support our , our National Guard and 34:38.229 --> 34:41.659 Air Force out there . Uh because um 34:42.459 --> 34:44.681 they need to be properly staffed . So I 34:44.681 --> 34:46.737 I need to know your interest in that 34:46.737 --> 34:48.959 and making sure their training is up to 34:48.959 --> 34:51.070 date and equipped as well . So we can 34:51.070 --> 34:53.015 have , we'll be ready for the next 34:53.015 --> 34:54.737 pandemic . Uh health emergency 34:54.737 --> 34:56.626 congressman . We are actually I'm 34:56.626 --> 34:58.792 intimately involved with the issues of 34:58.792 --> 35:00.959 Guam . I'm very concerned about that . 35:01.020 --> 35:03.570 My concern is that we have the systems 35:03.590 --> 35:05.646 not only for reserve and guard for , 35:05.646 --> 35:07.757 for the many active duty that we have 35:07.757 --> 35:10.290 in Guam and family members . Uh We are 35:10.300 --> 35:12.244 concerned about bio surveillance , 35:12.244 --> 35:14.467 making sure it's not just about COVID , 35:14.467 --> 35:16.800 not , not only about the things we know , 35:16.800 --> 35:18.800 but the things that we may not know 35:18.800 --> 35:20.800 coming about and we wanna make sure 35:20.800 --> 35:22.689 that a we detect them early . And 35:22.689 --> 35:24.467 number two , we have a response 35:24.467 --> 35:27.070 mechanism to ameliorate whatever threat 35:27.080 --> 35:30.489 comes in one way or any other way . I 35:30.500 --> 35:32.333 appreciate your concern and your 35:32.333 --> 35:34.556 continuous interest in the end op com . 35:34.556 --> 35:36.667 Specifically Guam . Thank , thank you 35:36.667 --> 35:38.889 for that another question . Doctor . Uh 35:38.889 --> 35:41.300 What do you and Admiral Valdez need to 35:41.310 --> 35:43.439 safeguard the defense health Agency's 35:43.449 --> 35:45.719 abilities to support the military 35:45.729 --> 35:48.469 readiness if we were enter a conflict 35:48.479 --> 35:51.570 in Indo Pacific while ensuring patients 35:51.580 --> 35:54.050 do not experience a lap in care . What 35:54.060 --> 35:56.570 steps are you taking with stakeholders 35:56.580 --> 35:59.570 or doctors , hospitals and on Guam to 35:59.580 --> 36:01.850 prepare for future conflicts ? We're 36:01.860 --> 36:04.082 way out there . We have no support from 36:04.082 --> 36:06.138 the mainland time is of the assets , 36:06.138 --> 36:08.249 please . Uh Congressman uh Lieutenant 36:08.249 --> 36:10.389 General Crossland just came from the 36:10.399 --> 36:12.709 theater . We went to visit Guam and 36:12.719 --> 36:14.830 visited with many of the civilian and 36:14.830 --> 36:16.939 military leadership on the island to 36:16.949 --> 36:18.727 address the medical . She's the 36:18.727 --> 36:20.949 director of the Defense Health Agency . 36:21.199 --> 36:23.739 Uh and she came back with a report , 36:23.750 --> 36:25.917 you know , to trying to understand she 36:25.917 --> 36:28.260 understood what the issues are . Now , 36:28.270 --> 36:30.570 we're working through how we gonna 36:30.580 --> 36:34.010 counter whatever gaps she found on her 36:34.020 --> 36:35.989 trip . This it has to be a two way 36:36.000 --> 36:38.389 conversation with not only the military 36:38.399 --> 36:40.343 leadership , it has to be with the 36:40.343 --> 36:42.232 civilian leadership of the island 36:42.232 --> 36:44.580 medical in the medical aspects . So we 36:44.590 --> 36:47.780 make sure that it at least that we do 36:47.790 --> 36:50.280 our best to be in a good position to 36:50.290 --> 36:53.580 respond to any needs that that is in 36:53.590 --> 36:55.540 particular our service members and 36:55.550 --> 36:58.389 family members need very good and final 36:58.399 --> 37:00.621 question . Doctor currently the US Army 37:00.621 --> 37:03.550 Reserve on Guam carries on innovative 37:03.560 --> 37:05.616 readiness training mission in one of 37:05.616 --> 37:07.560 the villages , Jig . Go to provide 37:07.560 --> 37:09.616 medical care to my community efforts 37:09.616 --> 37:11.671 like this are important for building 37:11.671 --> 37:13.893 goodwill between the people of Guam and 37:13.893 --> 37:15.727 the military , especially as the 37:15.727 --> 37:18.080 department plans to station increasing 37:18.090 --> 37:20.879 numbers of personnel on island . What 37:20.889 --> 37:23.222 can be done to expand efforts like this ? 37:23.222 --> 37:25.389 This is very good for our community as 37:25.389 --> 37:27.360 well . Congress find out . Yeah , 37:30.909 --> 37:34.820 is in our interest to aid to , you 37:34.830 --> 37:37.060 know , have our troops ready and 37:37.070 --> 37:39.320 prepared to do the care they're gonna 37:39.330 --> 37:42.010 be asked to do in combat . The way we 37:42.020 --> 37:45.280 achieve that is by seeing patients and 37:45.290 --> 37:47.401 taking care of patients . If there is 37:47.401 --> 37:49.719 an opportunity , you know , a mutual 37:49.729 --> 37:51.951 opportunity by providing care to the lo 37:51.951 --> 37:54.949 to local communities . We also enhance 37:55.139 --> 37:58.360 our skill sets as clinicians , that's a 37:58.370 --> 38:00.426 win , win for the department and our 38:00.426 --> 38:03.719 neighbors . So I we are pursuing this , 38:03.729 --> 38:05.729 not only Guam , we're pursuing this 38:05.760 --> 38:07.979 across the country in those places 38:07.989 --> 38:10.919 where we can have a mutually agreeable 38:10.929 --> 38:14.860 and acceptable uh benefit . Then 38:14.870 --> 38:16.679 we're gonna exactly go in that 38:16.689 --> 38:18.911 direction and I hope that there will be 38:18.911 --> 38:21.022 many opportunities in Guam just to do 38:21.022 --> 38:23.133 that . I appreciate that . And I look 38:23.133 --> 38:25.300 forward to working with you closely on 38:25.300 --> 38:27.356 how we can assist as well . So thank 38:27.356 --> 38:29.467 you for your efforts . Thank you , Mr 38:29.467 --> 38:31.633 Chairman . Thank you , Mr Chairman . I 38:31.633 --> 38:33.467 appreciate you both being here . 38:33.467 --> 38:35.633 Although I must say there is a growing 38:35.633 --> 38:37.856 trend within the dod that my colleagues 38:37.856 --> 38:39.856 recognize as well where people come 38:39.856 --> 38:42.022 here unprepared to be able to have the 38:42.022 --> 38:44.189 substantiated data that we require and 38:44.189 --> 38:46.356 that we've requested to make sure that 38:46.356 --> 38:45.739 we're able to get the answers and 38:45.750 --> 38:48.028 follow up . This is not the first time . 38:48.064 --> 38:50.286 I hope that in future hearings , you'll 38:50.286 --> 38:52.286 actually make sure that we have the 38:52.286 --> 38:54.342 subsequent data that we're trying to 38:54.342 --> 38:56.508 ask for and all the algorithms and all 38:56.508 --> 38:56.364 the other data planning has actually 38:56.375 --> 38:58.542 gone forth . Uh I wanna start out with 38:58.542 --> 39:00.486 the fact that , you know , kind of 39:00.486 --> 39:02.653 following along one of my colleagues , 39:02.653 --> 39:04.708 Mr gates' testimony , where he talks 39:04.708 --> 39:06.486 about how many people have been 39:06.486 --> 39:08.653 impacted negatively , whether it be by 39:08.653 --> 39:10.819 myocarditis , whether it be by ovarian 39:10.819 --> 39:12.945 issues , whatever the case may be in 39:12.955 --> 39:15.370 addition to those who are 39:15.379 --> 39:17.550 unconstitutionally purged out of our 39:17.560 --> 39:20.010 military for religious and medical 39:20.020 --> 39:22.020 freedoms that they should have been 39:22.020 --> 39:24.510 afforded . So I I just wanna say for 39:24.520 --> 39:27.060 the record , do either one of you have 39:27.070 --> 39:30.209 a uh an an opinion , an objective 39:30.219 --> 39:32.790 opinion on whether or not you feel that 39:32.800 --> 39:34.911 medical and religious freedoms should 39:34.911 --> 39:37.133 be a key element for all members of our 39:37.133 --> 39:40.550 armed forces . Congressman dod is 39:40.560 --> 39:42.449 committed to protect religious uh 39:42.449 --> 39:45.270 liberties . Uh as you know , there is a 39:45.280 --> 39:47.336 process to request . Actually , I do 39:47.336 --> 39:49.391 know that process by the way . And I 39:49.391 --> 39:51.724 gotta say if it was actually to be true , 39:51.724 --> 39:54.002 would be impressive because on average , 39:54.002 --> 39:56.058 they were able to adjudicate through 39:56.058 --> 39:58.058 six individual layers per the under 39:58.058 --> 40:00.169 Secretary of Readiness who is here in 40:00.169 --> 40:02.350 less than five minutes . Imagine the 40:02.360 --> 40:04.685 ability to reach out to a minister to a 40:04.695 --> 40:06.917 priest , to other religious figures who 40:06.917 --> 40:09.139 they actually are trying to get this uh 40:09.139 --> 40:10.973 council from or looking at their 40:10.973 --> 40:12.806 independent medical , you know , 40:12.806 --> 40:15.028 background from historical medical data 40:15.028 --> 40:17.139 from their families and being able to 40:17.139 --> 40:19.306 determine that in five minutes , I can 40:19.306 --> 40:21.473 tell you as a person who now works for 40:21.473 --> 40:23.473 the federal government , we are not 40:23.473 --> 40:25.584 that efficient if anything , it would 40:25.584 --> 40:27.751 take us about five weeks to be able to 40:27.751 --> 40:29.695 do so , but they were adjudicating 40:29.695 --> 40:31.751 these in less than five minutes . Do 40:31.751 --> 40:31.409 you think that they could adequately 40:31.419 --> 40:33.310 adjudicate a medical or religious 40:33.320 --> 40:35.760 exemption within five minutes or less ? 40:35.989 --> 40:38.045 Congressman ? I have to defer to the 40:38.045 --> 40:40.469 services that exec that executed that 40:40.479 --> 40:42.969 for us ? You know , there has been an 40:42.979 --> 40:45.146 admission to the significant errors in 40:45.146 --> 40:46.979 the defense medical epidemiology 40:46.979 --> 40:48.979 database , that disorder , the true 40:48.979 --> 40:51.146 numbers of medical encounters faced by 40:51.146 --> 40:52.979 service members . How can you be 40:52.979 --> 40:54.646 certain ? This issue has been 40:54.646 --> 40:56.590 satisfactorily rectified as to not 40:56.590 --> 40:58.923 continue to mislead the American public . 41:01.750 --> 41:03.861 Thank you . I could take that . We do 41:03.861 --> 41:06.580 take data accuracy accuracy . Seriously , 41:06.590 --> 41:08.969 we know that data goes into making 41:08.979 --> 41:10.923 decisions about health care that's 41:10.923 --> 41:13.530 provided to service members . When we 41:13.540 --> 41:16.449 became aware of the uh programming 41:16.620 --> 41:18.810 error that was done in D med . Uh This 41:18.820 --> 41:22.090 was in January 2022 . The air , by the 41:22.100 --> 41:25.379 way was uh an analyst had used a count 41:25.389 --> 41:27.333 function instead of a sum function 41:27.570 --> 41:30.000 which led to the data that existed 41:30.010 --> 41:33.520 between 2020 16 and 2020 to be 41:33.530 --> 41:36.030 corrupted . That error is immediately 41:36.040 --> 41:38.120 corrected . Since then , we've 41:38.129 --> 41:40.250 implemented both additional technical 41:40.260 --> 41:42.260 and functional controls . So on the 41:42.260 --> 41:43.982 technical side , they're doing 41:43.982 --> 41:45.820 additional QC steps , we've also 41:45.830 --> 41:47.886 implemented a functional team that's 41:47.886 --> 41:49.830 doing additional quality assurance 41:49.830 --> 41:52.260 checks um on a periodic basis . So this 41:52.270 --> 41:54.381 is for both of you and I , I'd really 41:54.381 --> 41:56.492 like to hear your thoughts on this uh 41:56.492 --> 41:58.714 uniformed service members were expelled 41:58.714 --> 42:00.659 from the military and punished for 42:00.659 --> 42:02.881 standing up for their personal rights . 42:02.881 --> 42:05.103 How do we ensure that they are properly 42:05.103 --> 42:07.310 compensated for rightfully expressing 42:07.320 --> 42:09.376 these rights ? How do we address the 42:09.376 --> 42:11.431 discrimination and mental drain that 42:11.431 --> 42:13.264 these individuals have faced and 42:13.264 --> 42:15.209 continue to face by things such as 42:15.209 --> 42:17.153 giving them a general discharge as 42:17.153 --> 42:19.042 opposed to honorable also the dod 42:19.042 --> 42:21.153 forcing individuals to pay back their 42:21.153 --> 42:23.153 bonuses where they did not separate 42:23.153 --> 42:25.320 from the military at their free will , 42:25.320 --> 42:27.487 they were forced out of the military . 42:27.487 --> 42:29.653 What would be your recommendations and 42:29.653 --> 42:31.598 how we would adequately compensate 42:31.598 --> 42:33.653 these individuals unconstitutionally 42:33.653 --> 42:35.820 purged by the way , almost 9000 who is 42:35.820 --> 42:38.042 unconstitutionally purged . In addition 42:38.042 --> 42:39.987 to the 41,000 recruitment deficits 42:39.987 --> 42:41.931 pretty significant for the largest 42:41.931 --> 42:41.834 volunteer force in the world 42:43.409 --> 42:46.840 congressman . Uh As you probably know , 42:46.850 --> 42:48.800 all those service members have the 42:48.810 --> 42:51.850 right to appeal to discharge to the 42:51.860 --> 42:54.270 services . Doctor Martinez Lopez , we 42:54.280 --> 42:56.447 have seen where many of them had tried 42:56.447 --> 43:00.199 to appeal this and in many cases wasn't 43:00.209 --> 43:02.540 actually given any answer whatsoever . 43:02.790 --> 43:04.790 Again , we can adjudicate things in 43:04.790 --> 43:06.790 five minutes whenever we're denying 43:06.790 --> 43:08.734 people their medical and freedom , 43:08.734 --> 43:10.512 religious rights . But we can't 43:10.512 --> 43:12.623 actually adjudicate something quickly 43:12.623 --> 43:14.790 where it should be a simple thing that 43:14.790 --> 43:17.189 if you did not exit the service for 43:17.199 --> 43:19.366 something which was disciplinary and , 43:19.366 --> 43:21.143 and reasoning , not medical and 43:21.143 --> 43:23.199 religious freedom , but disciplinary 43:23.199 --> 43:26.020 and us UCMJ article 15 or above Court 43:26.030 --> 43:28.159 Marshaling . Then I don't understand 43:28.169 --> 43:30.169 how we can at least acknowledge the 43:30.169 --> 43:32.225 fact that this is unconstitutionally 43:32.225 --> 43:32.199 purged and at least give them the 43:32.209 --> 43:34.320 opportunity under honorable discharge 43:34.320 --> 43:36.431 as opposed to a general where in many 43:36.431 --> 43:38.542 cases , this plagues them and follows 43:38.542 --> 43:40.820 on in their careers and in future jobs . 43:40.820 --> 43:42.709 But that still doesn't answer the 43:42.709 --> 43:44.820 bottom question , which is that these 43:44.820 --> 43:47.153 individuals and my personal opinion , I , 43:47.153 --> 43:49.376 I know there's others on this committee 43:49.376 --> 43:49.254 that I feel the same way should be 43:49.264 --> 43:51.594 compensated . They should have their 43:51.604 --> 43:53.715 benefits restored , they should have 43:53.725 --> 43:55.669 their original rank reinstated for 43:55.669 --> 43:57.836 those who actually still want to serve 43:57.836 --> 43:59.892 our country , not a political agenda 43:59.892 --> 44:01.781 that is placed before us and they 44:01.781 --> 44:03.836 should be given the rights that they 44:03.836 --> 44:06.058 were actually denied . Would you not at 44:06.058 --> 44:08.003 least admit to the fact that these 44:08.003 --> 44:10.114 people who are trying to serve as you 44:10.114 --> 44:12.790 have served and as I have served should 44:12.800 --> 44:14.744 be denied these rights or be given 44:14.744 --> 44:18.389 these rights congressman . Uh , you 44:18.399 --> 44:20.510 know , we have processes in and their 44:20.510 --> 44:22.455 laws and processes in the , in the 44:22.455 --> 44:25.840 system . Uh I hope that the 44:25.850 --> 44:28.239 services who , you know , I , I'm 44:28.250 --> 44:30.417 confident the services are doing their 44:30.417 --> 44:34.239 best to exercise those uh procedures 44:34.250 --> 44:36.840 to , to look at the , at each case in 44:36.850 --> 44:40.649 particular . But I appreciate that you 44:40.659 --> 44:42.881 have the confidence . I wish that I had 44:42.881 --> 44:44.937 that and shared that same confidence 44:44.937 --> 44:46.992 levels . But under the uh director , 44:46.992 --> 44:49.215 you know , direction of someone like uh 44:49.215 --> 44:51.270 Secretary Lloyd Austin , I have very 44:51.270 --> 44:52.992 little when you talk about the 44:52.992 --> 44:54.881 dereliction of duty that has been 44:54.881 --> 44:57.048 placed forth and the prioritization of 44:57.048 --> 44:59.048 things that are not to the military 44:59.048 --> 45:01.103 armed forces' benefits with that . I 45:01.103 --> 45:03.048 yield back . Thank you . I want to 45:03.048 --> 45:05.048 thank uh Mr Gates who just left the 45:05.048 --> 45:07.270 room uh for requesting this hearing . I 45:07.270 --> 45:09.103 think it's a really important uh 45:09.103 --> 45:11.159 conversation , the type of oversight 45:11.159 --> 45:13.159 that this committee should be doing 45:13.159 --> 45:15.270 more of . It's important that we work 45:15.270 --> 45:17.381 together to differentiate between the 45:17.381 --> 45:19.270 rise of medical conditions due to 45:19.270 --> 45:21.709 COVID-19 , the infection or the 45:21.719 --> 45:25.270 COVIDNINETEEN vaccination . This effort 45:25.280 --> 45:27.224 is vital for guiding public health 45:27.229 --> 45:29.510 responses in forming treatment and 45:29.520 --> 45:31.989 management strategies , monitoring 45:32.000 --> 45:35.409 vaccine safety and maintaining the 45:35.419 --> 45:37.780 public trust and immunization programs 45:38.080 --> 45:40.439 by s by systematically investigating 45:40.449 --> 45:42.227 and addressing these concerns , 45:42.227 --> 45:44.050 policymakers and healthcare 45:44.060 --> 45:46.282 professionals can effectively safeguard 45:46.282 --> 45:48.504 public health and the health of our men 45:48.510 --> 45:50.454 and women in uniform who put their 45:50.454 --> 45:52.288 lives on the line for this great 45:52.288 --> 45:54.343 country . I want to thank uh both of 45:54.343 --> 45:56.699 our witnesses uh again and thank you 45:56.709 --> 45:58.542 for providing your testimony and 45:58.542 --> 46:00.876 answering your questions this afternoon . 46:00.876 --> 46:02.653 I want to thank the members who 46:02.653 --> 46:04.653 participated there being no further 46:04.653 --> 46:06.653 business . The sub-committee stands 46:06.653 --> 46:05.780 adjourned .