After the controversial candidate properly sparked politicians ‘ concerns over previous views on abortion and vaccinations, lawmakers confirmed economic attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for HHS minister.
The new HHS secretary’s confirmation was approved by the upper chamber by a vote of 52 to 48. He had formerly struggled with a 14-year cocaine addiction and was now the highest-ranking federal official since his father, who was attorney general, before his father became attorney general.
Democrats and some Republicans who had been arguing that Kennedy would do normally on Capitol Hill sparred, but Mitch McConnell, former Kentucky senator, was the only one Republican defection to get confirmed as president.
Kennedy triumphed after two distinct hours-long Senate trials last month before the Finance Committee and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Democrats questioned the approaching HHS secretary about his previous anti-vaccine criticism, while Republicans pressed him for assurances that he would support Trump’s first-term plan to end abortion.
” I support the smallpox vaccine. I support the smallpox vaccine”, Kennedy said plainly in his first reading. ” I will do nothing as HHS director to make it difficult or deter people from taking either of those immunizations.”
Kennedy even addressed concerns among Republicans about the previous Democrat’s current support for pregnancy on-demand and recommitted , to , implementing , Trump’s first-term plan on the problem.
” I agree with President Trump that every pregnancy is a tragedy”, he said. I concur with him that if there are 1.2 million abortions per year, we can’t be a spiritual nation.
Kennedy claimed he shared the president’s position that late-term pregnancy should not be permitted because abortion is a country’s problem.
” I serve at the enjoyment of the leader. I’m going to utilize his guidelines”, he said.
Kennedy stated that he would conduct an investigation into the security of mifepristone and follow up with the president’s request to control the abortion drug when a decision is made.
Advancing American Freedom, a party supported by former Vice President Mike Pence, targeted Kennedy’s prior opposition to the Democrats ‘ abortion program to persuade conservative lawmakers to decline the election. The party, but, according to CNN, has even received a six-figure contribution from a pharma-funded foundation , built , on an empire of sugar substitutes and birth control pills.
Kennedy’s restructuring on abortion, but, outraged Democrats.
Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N. H., accused Kennedy of being a” selling”.
According to Hassan, “you have consistently stated that biological freedom is one of your core values.” Do you support that benefit or reject it?
” Senator, I agree with President Trump that every pregnancy is a tragedy”, he said.
In a flaming trade with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Kennedy launched the rude during his second day of trials.
” The issue of fraud is not just in the governmental authorities, it’s in Congress too”, Kennedy said. ” As many people of this section, including yourself, are accepting millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical sector and protecting their interests,” said one member.
A , Federalist analysis , of industry donations , compiled by OpenSecrets found senators across both committees have raked in more than$ 10 million from the pharmaceutical industry between 2019 and 2024.
