The Senate Finance Committee voted Tuesday to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as Health and Human Services Secretary, with all 14 Republicans supporting President Trump’s nominee despite earlier concerns about vaccine positions — a critical win for Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
“I’ve had very intense conversations with Bobby and the White House over the weekend and even this morning. I want to thank VP JD specifically for his honest counsel,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-L.A., posted on social media. “With the serious commitments I’ve received from the administration and the opportunity to make progress on the issues we agree on like healthy foods and a pro-American agenda, I will vote yes.”
Cassidy revealed in a Senate floor speech that Kennedy had “reassured” him about his “commitment to the benefit of public health vaccination” and promised an “unprecedentedly close” working relationship, including monthly meetings and input on HHS hiring.
The committee’s 13 Democrats unanimously opposed Kennedy.
“Making Robert F. Kennedy secretary of Health and Human Services would, in my view, be a grave threat to the health of the American people,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-O.R.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, R-R.I., Kennedy’s former law school classmate, announced his opposition Tuesday.
“Mr. Kennedy has not come remotely close to providing adequate assurances that he will follow the well-established science on vaccines, nor remedy the ways CMS hurts Rhode Island, so I cannot support his nomination,” Whitehouse complained.
Kennedy faces potential resistance from Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-K.Y., in the broader U.S. senate vote. McConnell suffered from polio as a child and warned the nominee to “steer clear of even the appearance of association” with anti-vaccination efforts.
The full Senate vote expected next week requires all but three Republican votes for confirmation.
The Health Committee plans additional oversight hearings on Kennedy’s past statements about COVID-19 being “ethnically targeted” and Lyme disease being a bioweapon. Committee staff expect contentious sessions as Democrats press for clarity on his vaccine and abortion positions ahead of the floor vote.