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By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The balance of power between Senate Republicans and President Donald Trump’s White House will be on public display on Thursday at a pair of hearings, where lawmakers are expected to grapple with Trump advisers over the credibility of U.S. vaccine policy and the independence of the Federal Reserve. U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will appear before the Senate Finance Committee, a week after the Trump administration fired Susan Monarez as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over her refusal to follow Kennedy’s limitations on vaccine availability, which she believed were unscientific. Four other top CDC officials resigned in protest, raising warnings from experts that the health of the American public could be at risk. White House economic adviser Stephen Miran, Trump’s nominee to fill a vacancy on the Fed board that unexpectedly opened last month, will come before the Senate Banking Committee for his confirmation hearing after weeks of attacks by Trump on Fed Chair Jerome Powell and an effort to fire board Governor Lisa Cook. The hearings will occur as some Senate Republicans are beginning to chafe at Trump’s efforts to extend his control over federal spending by rescinding previously allocated funding. Lawmakers say those efforts could endanger hopes of a bipartisan effort to avert a government shutdown. "I’m a big believer that senators have to stand up for the institution of the Senate. And there are a number of the administration’s goals I agree with. It’s the means that I question," said Senator Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican who announced his retirement in June after clashing with Trump over spending cuts to the Medicaid healthcare program for lower-income Americans. 3rd party Ad. Not an offer or recommendation by Investing.com. See disclosure here or remove ads. "I do have some pause when some of my colleagues don’t recognize the institutional threat that that represents. We’ve got to fight back, and not make it look like it’s some sort of freaking loyalty pledge," he added. Since Trump took office in January, some Senate Republicans have aired criticism of the administration and opposed its legislative priorities on the chamber floor. But given the strength of Trump’s grip on the Republican Party, they have not been willing to stand in his way. NOMINEE BACKLOG On Wednesday, Senate Republicans met over lunch to debate a plan to relinquish more of their constitutional advice and consent authority over presidential nominees in an effort to overcome Democratic opposition and confirm scores of Trump’s sub-cabinet appointees. "Expect us to move forward with a plan that would enable us to clear the backlog of nominees. It just flat has to happen," Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters after the meeting. Democrats warned that Republicans are unlikely to confront Kennedy over disarray at the CDC and uncertainty over vaccine policies for diseases including COVID. "Republicans should put the health of the American people ahead of politics," Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren told reporters. "RFK will cost lives, and that will be on him and Donald Trump and the Republicans." When Kennedy appears, one Republican lawmaker in particular is expected to command attention. That is Senate Health, Education Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, who was key to his confirmation. 3rd party Ad. Not an offer or recommendation by Investing.com. See disclosure here or remove ads. Cassidy, a medical doctor, made it clear last week’s departures from the CDC were on his mind. "He and the president have both committed to radical transparency, and I’ve learned in relationships - however they are - there’s always two sides to the story," the Louisiana Republican told Reuters. "There’s some pretty significant allegations by the people who departed CDC. We need to hear from him, why those allegations aren’t true. If they’re true, it’s disturbing." Cassidy did not specify the allegations. But officials who resigned told Reuters Kennedy appointees were making vaccine recommendations before reviewing data, among other allegations. Other Republicans seemed prepared to champion Kennedy, who has a long history of sowing doubt about vaccine safety. "I always supported what Secretary Kennedy has done in the firing of the CDC director, and I’m actually glad the people that resigned have resigned. I think that they’ve been part of the problem," said Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas, also a physician. "President Trump chose Secretary Kennedy because he is a disruptor, and that’s what we need to see in this country," he said. Independent analysts say Trump chose Miran for the Fed board as part of his effort to exert control over the Fed and lower interest rates, a policy he has endorsed. 3rd party Ad. Not an offer or recommendation by Investing.com. See disclosure here or remove ads. "I think he’s going to make it very clear that he will be an independent voice," said Republican Senator Mike Rounds, a member of the Senate Banking Committee. Rounds, of South Dakota, said Miran agreed in their meeting that the Fed board should also be independent, adding, "I think he’s going to have a pretty good shot at actually being confirmed." AI computing powers are changing the stock market. Investing.com's ProPicks AI includes dozens of winning stock portfolios chosen by our advanced AI. Year to date, 3 out of 4 global portfolios are beating their benchmark indexes, with 98% in the green. 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