Senate Committee Advances Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Nomination for HHS Secretary
A Senate committee voted along party lines on Tuesday to advance the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), The Associated Press reports.
The vote sends the nomination to the full Senate for consideration.
The committee vote was 14-13, with all Republicans voting in favor and all Democrats opposed. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), a physician who had previously expressed reservations, joined his Republican colleagues in supporting Kennedy’s advancement.
Concerns have been raised by some Democrats and Republicans regarding Kennedy’s past statements on vaccine safety and potential conflicts of interest related to lawsuits involving pharmaceutical companies.
The full Senate has not yet scheduled a vote on the nomination. Confirmation requires a simple majority, meaning Kennedy can afford to lose no more than three Republican votes if all Democrats oppose him.
Senator Cassidy publicly acknowledged his internal deliberation, citing his medical background and the importance of vaccines. He said on X that “intense conversations” with Kennedy and the White House led to “serious commitments” from the administration.
Several Republican Senators, including Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Mitch McConnell (R-KY), are being closely watched as potential swing votes. Senator McConnell acknowledged the importance of vaccines in a recent interview but did not indicate how he would vote.
Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) said he was reassured by Kennedy’s commitment to allowing scientists at agencies like the CDC and NIH to work independently.
Democratic senators, including Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), have raised concerns about Kennedy’s potential financial gain from decisions impacting vaccine policy.
Kennedy has stated he will donate referral fees from legal cases against vaccine manufacturers to his son, including fees from referring clients to a firm suing Merck over its Gardasil vaccine. He reported earning $2.5 million from these referrals in the past three years.
As HHS Secretary, Kennedy would oversee a department responsible for food and hospital inspections, health insurance programs, and research into diseases.
Kennedy, formerly a Democratic presidential candidate, withdrew from the race last year and endorsed Donald Trump.
