A sharply divided Senate panel voted on Tuesday to advance the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as US Health and Human Services secretary, moving the controversial public health critic one step closer to overseeing the $1.7 trillion agency.
Fourteen Republicans voted to push Kennedy’s nomination forward, including Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician who had previously voiced deep concerns. All 13 Democrats opposed him.
Despite bipartisan unease over Kennedy’s history of questioning vaccine safety and his financial ties to lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies, Tuesday’s vote signals that his confirmation is likely unless Republican support wavers.
The White House has mounted an intense pressure campaign to secure votes, while Kennedy’s supporters have inundated senators with phone calls and emails.
A full Senate vote has yet to be scheduled, but with a slim Republican majority, Kennedy can afford to lose only three GOP votes if Democrats remain united in opposition.
Cassidy, who has publicly acknowledged the life-saving role of vaccines, confronted Kennedy last week, saying,
“Your past, undermining confidence in vaccines with unfounded or misleading arguments, concerns me.”
However, he ultimately voted “aye” to advance the nomination. He later cited “serious commitments” from both Kennedy and President Donald Trump’s administration following last-minute discussions.
Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky remain possible dissenters, having previously opposed Trump’s defence secretary nominee.
McConnell, in a 60 Minutes interview on Sunday, declined to reveal his vote but reaffirmed that “vaccines are critically important.”
Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, another potential swing vote, said he was reassured by Kennedy’s promise to allow scientists at federal health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to operate independently.
“The only way that Bobby Kennedy will get crosswise is if he takes a position against the safety of proven vaccines,” Tillis said.
Democrats have continued to highlight concerns over Kennedy’s potential conflicts of interest. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden warned that Kennedy could financially benefit from altering vaccine guidelines or weakening legal protections for pharmaceutical companies.
In a letter over the weekend, they wrote, “It seems possible that many different types of vaccine-related decisions and communications—which you would be empowered to make and influence as Secretary—could result in significant financial compensation for your family.”
Kennedy has defended his financial dealings, saying he will transfer all referral fees from vaccine-related lawsuits to his son. He admitted to earning $2.5 million over the past three years from referring clients to a law firm suing Merck over its Gardasil vaccine.
As health secretary, Kennedy would oversee critical areas such as food and hospital inspections, public health insurance programs, and disease research.
A former Democrat, Kennedy ran for president before withdrawing last year to support Trump in exchange for a high-profile role in his administration. Together, they have built an unusual coalition, uniting conservative vaccine skeptics with liberals advocating for healthier food policies.
Trump and Kennedy have branded their movement as “Make America Healthy Again.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
Follow us on:
