Even Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, who indicated he was open to voting for Bob Kennedy’s nomination to head the Department of Health and Human Services, now says the nominee is in serious trouble after his rocky confirmation hearing. Via The Hill:
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
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.
Some GOP senators want public commitments from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. before deciding whether to support him as the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, signaling that President Donald Trump’s pick will have to win over uncertain Republicans in order to secure the job.
His stances, which include unscientific beliefs that AIDS is not caused by HIV and that a large number of vaccines should be stripped from the market, could have major impacts on the agency designed to protect America’s health,
If approved, Kennedy will control a $1.7 trillion agency that oversees food and hospital inspections, hundreds of health clinics, vaccine recommendations and health insurance for roughly half the country.
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.
Will the Senate GOP confirm controversial picks like Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr.? Here’s the hearings schedule and list of who’s been confirmed.
RFK Jr. is back on the Hill for a second day of testimony, this time before a different Senate committee, after a first round that was contentious but saw no GOP defections.
The longtime liberal faces deep skepticism over his public health views. “Frankly, you frighten people,” one Democratic senator told his former roommate.
President-elect Donald Trump (R) announced author, lawyer, and 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his nominee for secretary of health and human services on November 14, 2024. This presidential appointment requires Senate confirmation.