Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confronted a second day of fierce grilling Thursday at his Senate affirmation hearings to be President Donald Trump’s well being secretary.
The longtime anti-vaccine activist endured extra sharp questioning from Democrats and even some GOP lawmakers about his vaccine skepticism, together with shifting views on abortion and meals and drug security.
Kennedy sought to border himself as a fearless proponent of ending continual illness and bettering the well being of all People.
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“The nation is prepared for change,” Kennedy mentioned. “If confirmed, I’ll do every part in my energy to place the well being of People again on monitor.”
Kennedy put in a shaky efficiency on his first day of hearings earlier than the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday, which has oversight over some points of the sprawling Well being and Human Providers position.
He didn’t successfully rebut his previous harsh assaults on lifesaving vaccines, deserted his longstanding place supporting abortion rights and even blended up Medicare and Medicaid.
Issues didn’t get any smoother on Thursday when he appeared at a Well being Committee listening to chaired by Sen. Invoice Cassidy, R-La., a medical physician who says he’s undecided on Kennedy’s nomination.
“Your previous of undermining confidence in vaccines with unfounded or deceptive arguments issues me,” Cassidy mentioned. “Can I belief that that’s now prior to now?”
Kennedy dodged Cassidy’s demand that he concede there isn’t any hyperlink between vaccines and autism, a junk science conspiracy idea Kennedy has repeated.
“That may be a very troubling response as a result of the research are there,” progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders chimed in. “Your job was to have checked out these research as an applicant for this job.”
Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., who has a grown little one with cerebral palsy, tearfully blasted Kennedy for persevering with to recommend that vaccines trigger autism.
“If you proceed to sow doubt about settled science, it makes it unattainable for us to maneuver ahead,” Hassan informed the rapt listening to. “So we will’t discover out what the reason for autism is and deal with these youngsters and assist these households.”
Democrats tore into Kennedy over his previous statements that “no vaccine is protected and efficient,” and his multimillion-dollar deal referring shoppers to regulation corporations suing a vaccine maker, a gig he says he’ll hold even when he’s confirmed to a job overseeing the trade.
Some Republicans, particularly these from farm states, sounded lower than proud of Kennedy’s claims that Massive Ag and meals processing corporations are poisoning generations of People, particularly youngsters.
He sought to fix fences with conservative opponents of abortion rights by asserting that he would implement Trump’s insurance policies. That features the stance that states could ban or severely restrict abortion although RFK Jr. had beforehand passionately mentioned girls ought to have the proper to decide on no matter the place they dwell.
Like all Trump cupboard nominees, Kennedy, 71, probably wants 50 votes for affirmation, that means he can in all probability afford to lose the assist of not more than three GOP lawmakers.
Reasonable Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Lisa Murkowski are thought-about robust sells for RFK Jr.
Former GOP Senate Chief Mitch McConnell, in the meantime, survived childhood polio and is a fervent advocate for vaccines, making him one other potential “no” vote.
On the Democratic facet, Sen. John Fetterman is a possible wild card. The Pennsylvania lawmaker met with Kennedy and says he hasn’t determined whether or not to oppose his nomination.
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