The U.S. Senate convened on Thursday to confirm the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead Health and Human Services in a nearly party-line vote. Sen. Mitch McConnell was the only Republican to join all 47 Democrats in voting against Kennedy's nomination.
The vote came after Democrats tried to stall his nomination for as long as they could in hopes of finding several Republican members to vote against his nomination. However, several Republicans who were considered swing votes supported Kennedy's confirmation.
Among them, Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski voted in favor of Kennedy's nomination. On Wednesday, Kennedy cleared a key procedural vote with all 53 Republicans voting to advance his nomination. It was unclear how former Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell would vote, given that he is a strong proponent of vaccines, but he ultimately voted to advance Kennedy's nomination. One day later, however, he voted against his final confirmation.
"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. 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," McConnell said following Thursday's vote. "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. 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."
McConnell added, "Mr. Kennedy failed to prove he is the best possible person to lead America’s largest health agency. As he takes office, I sincerely hope Mr. Kennedy will choose not to sow further doubt and division but to restore trust in our public health institutions.”
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The Senate Finance Committee voted earlier this month to advance Kennedy's nomination to the full Senate by a party-line vote of 14-13. All 13 committee Democrats were unified in their opposition to Kennedy's nomination as all 14 Republicans voted in favor.
Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a doctor who specialized in liver diseases before entering politics, had also questioned Kennedy's nomination before voting in favor within the committee.
At a Senate Health Committee hearing, Cassidy told Kennedy, "I have been struggling with your nomination." Cassidy cited differences in his approach to vaccines.
Although Kennedy said he does not consider himself anti-vaccine, he has often expressed skepticism over the safety and efficacy of routine vaccinations.
Kennedy said he would not reduce access to vaccines if confirmed, which drew apprehension from Democrats on the committee.
"I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking either of those vaccines," he said.
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As the head of Health and Human Services, Kennedy would have broad oversight of numerous government agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Food and Drug Administration.
Kennedy has proposed a Make America Health Again platform, which is the name of his political action committee. Broadly, the PAC's goals are to expose corporate corruption, tackle chronic diseases and eliminate environmental toxins.
But Democrats have pointed to an ethics report as Kennedy said he plans to keep his financial stake in some pharmaceutical litigation if confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary. Kennedy said in the report that he has earned more than $2.4 million referring clients to the law firm WisnerBaum. That firm is suing a drug maker over its HPV vaccine, Gardasil.
Democrats claim this constitutes a conflict of interest for someone in his role.
