HHS nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will answer questions today from Republicans Susan Collins of Maine, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, all members of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who was thought to be open to voting for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to head the Department of Health and Human Services, now says the nominee is in serious trouble after his rocky confirmation hearing.
Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.), who had said he was open to hearing out Robert F. Kennedy Jr., expressed more doubts about the Health and Human Services nominee after his first confirmation hearing Wednesday before the Senate Finance Committee.
Senators pressed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on his past vaccine and abortion remarks in the first of two days of hearings before senators vote on whether to confirm him as President Trump’s health secretary.
For the first time in modern American history, a skeptic of medical research could be responsible for safeguarding public health.
The health committee chairman, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., also has expressed concerns about Kennedy's anti-vaccine work. A physician, Cassidy said earlier this month he “had a frank conversation” and “spoke about vaccines at length” with Kennedy. On Tuesday, Cassidy told reporters that he is still unsure if he is backing Trump’s nominee.
To be confirmed as health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. can afford to lose no more than three Republican votes if all Democrats are united in their opposition to him.
The longtime liberal faces deep skepticism over his public health views. “Frankly, you frighten people,” one Democratic senator told his former roommate.
Senate Democrats on Wednesday grilled Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President’s Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary, during a contentious confirmation hearing, hitting the former
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced about 3.5 hours of questioning on topics including his past comments on vaccines and abortion during the first of his two confirmation hearings.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confronted with a number of his baseless claims and a vexing abortion issue. But Republican senators treaded lightly.
Nicole Shanahan, a billionaire Silicon Valley lawyer, was previously Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s running mate.