Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was officially confirmed by the Senate on Thursday as the Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Trump, following a heated and divisive battle over his views on vaccines that split the Republican party.
A 52-48 vote resulted in the approval of Kennedy, 71, to lead the nation’s health department, which oversees a budget of around $1.7 trillion.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and every Democrat voted against his confirmation.
RFK Jr., a seasoned environmental attorney and vocal vaccine critic, had secured support earlier in the week from Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), making it easier for him to join Trump’s cabinet.
“I continue to have concerns about Mr. Kennedy’s views on vaccines and his selective interpretation of scientific studies, which initially caused my misgivings about his nomination,” Murkowski said on Wednesday.
“Vaccines have saved millions of lives, and I sought assurance that, as HHS secretary, he would do nothing to make it difficult for people to take vaccines or discourage vaccination efforts.
“He has made numerous commitments to me and my colleagues, promising to work with Congress to ensure public access to information and to base vaccine recommendations on data-driven, evidence-based, and medically sound research,” she added.
“These commitments are important to me and, on balance, provide assurance for my vote.”
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), the chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee that reviewed RFK Jr., had also backed Trump’s HHS nominee after receiving a pledge that they would meet regularly and that Kennedy, who is a physician, would emphasize the importance of immunizations.
The son of the late senator and attorney general from New York had long been critical of the safety and effectiveness of vaccines for polio, measles, and hepatitis B, publishing multiple books on the issue and establishing the nonprofit Children’s Health Defense, which has filed lawsuits against the government and pharmaceutical companies over vaccine-related matters.
His statements became a focal point during the confirmation process, drawing criticism from members of his former party during hearings in both the Senate HELP and Finance Committees, threatening to undo his chances of gaining Republican support even as he repeatedly stated he was “pro-vaccine.”
“I’m a survivor of childhood polio. In my lifetime, I’ve watched vaccines save millions of lives from devastating diseases across America and around the world,” McConnell said in a statement after the vote. “I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles.”
“Individuals, parents, and families have a right to push for a healthier nation and demand the best possible scientific guidance on preventing and treating illness,” he added. “But a record of trafficking in dangerous conspiracy theories and eroding trust in public health institutions does not entitle Mr. Kennedy to lead these important efforts.”
Kennedy also walked back or minimized other controversial claims, such as his assertion that Lyme disease was a military-created “bioweapon,” his assertion that COVID-19 was “ethnically targeted” against black and Caucasian individuals, and his refusal to “take sides” on the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the U.S., some of which he had made as recently as last year.
Despite Kennedy’s awkward handling of questions regarding the differences between Medicare and Medicaid, most Republicans continued to support Trump’s nominee throughout the confirmation process, including Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), whose committee had vetted Kennedy.
“Mr. Kennedy’s decades of experience and deep drive to advocate on behalf of consumers will set a patient-centered tone at the department,” Crapo said in a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday, noting his “passion for addressing America’s chronic disease epidemic.”
That initiative, branded as “Make America Healthy Again,” had even earned the endorsement of Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a staunch left-wing figure. However, neither Sanders nor Kennedy’s former law school classmate, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), broke with their party to vote for his confirmation.
During his first confirmation hearing, Kennedy had highlighted alarming statistics about the increase in chronic disease and obesity in the U.S.
“When my uncle was president, 3% of Americans were obese. Today, 74% of Americans are obese or overweight,” RFK Jr. told Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) during the hearing. “Epidemics are not caused by genes. Something is poisoning the American people, and we know that the primary culprit’s our changing food supply.”
“As he has demonstrated in both public and private settings, Mr. Kennedy is committed to reorienting our approach to health care and restoring faith in our institutions,” Crapo said on the Senate floor, vowing that the nominee “will save lives, reduce costs and establish a foundation for a healthier, stronger country.”
{Matzav.com}