Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is President Trump’s choose to guide the Division of Well being and Human Providers. He confronted extra robust questions in his second affirmation listening to, held Thursday earlier than the Senate HELP Committee.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s historical past of stoking nervousness about vaccines was the central matter on Thursday in his second day of Senate affirmation hearings. President Trump’s option to run the Division of Well being and Human Providers, Kennedy confronted robust questions from Democrats, in addition to just a few key Republican senators.
Sen. Invoice Cassidy, R-La., a doctor and chairman of the committee, mentioned he confronted a “dilemma” over whether or not to assist Kennedy’s affirmation on the finish of greater than three hours of questioning Thursday.
‘Gold normal science’
All through the Senate HELP (Well being, Training, Labor, and Pensions) Committee listening to, Kennedy referred to as for a return to “gold normal science” and mentioned he would assist vaccines if proven knowledge backing their security. However when introduced with such knowledge, Kennedy mentioned he wasn’t aware of it or cited causes to doubt it.
When Cassidy pointed to a 2014 meta-analysis of 1.2 million youngsters that concluded there isn’t a hyperlink between autism and vaccines, Kennedy responded: “You present me these scientific research, and also you and I can meet about it — and there are different research as nicely, and I would love to point out these to you.”
These sorts of remarks appeared to hassle Cassidy, who spoke a few younger affected person he handled in Louisiana dealing with liver failure from Hepatitis B, which might have been prevented if the affected person had been vaccinated. He additionally mentioned that two youngsters simply died in a Louisiana ICU “from vaccine-preventable ailments.” He mentioned his experiences as a doctor satisfied him of the significance of vaccines.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shakes palms with Sen. Invoice Cassidy, R-La., after the Senate HELP Committee listening to. Cassidy, a health care provider, mentioned two youngsters just lately died in Louisiana of vaccine-preventable ailments.
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“[Can a] 71 year-old-man who spent a long time criticizing vaccines, and who’s financially vested find fault with vaccines — can he change his attitudes and strategy now that he’ll have an important place influencing vaccine coverage in the US?” Cassidy requested. “I received to determine that out for my vote.”
Cassidy’s assist could possibly be crucial to Kennedy’s approval. He additionally sits on the Finance committee, which has the say over whether or not Kennedy’s nomination advances to a full Senate vote.
Vaccine questions from each events
Most Republicans on the committee appeared to welcome Kennedy’s views, together with with regard to vaccines. Sen. Tom Tuberville, R-Ala., mentioned throughout the listening to that his soon-expected first granddaughter wouldn’t be “a pincushion,” referring to vaccines. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., mentioned individuals ought to be open-minded about any risk that could possibly be a consider autism.
Kennedy typically didn’t reply immediately when pressed on his a long time of anti-vaccine activism. Many senators described Kennedy as extraordinarily influential. “I’ve constituents who partly credit score you for his or her choice to not vaccinate their little one,” Cassidy advised him.
Throughout one alternate with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., Kennedy mentioned he would suggest mother and father vaccinate their youngsters in opposition to measles. However when requested by Cassidy to state “unequivocally and with out qualification” that measles and Hepatitis B vaccines do not trigger autism, Kennedy wouldn’t give a sure or no reply.
In Wednesday’s listening to, Kennedy mentioned that his personal youngsters have been vaccinated and that he was supportive of the childhood vaccine schedule. Nonetheless, Mary Holland, CEO of Kids’s Well being Protection, the anti-vaccine advocacy group Kennedy is intently allied with and used to run, advised Politico that she anticipated Kennedy to undertake a “penetrating” evaluation of that schedule if he is confirmed as HHS secretary, and insisted that his longtime skepticism of vaccines has not modified.
An emotional second
Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., introduced the room to silence whereas questioning Kennedy Thursday, talking tearfully about her 36-year-old son’s cerebral palsy.
“A day doesn’t go by after I do not take into consideration — what did I do after I was pregnant with him which may have brought about the hydrocephalus that has so impacted his life? So please don’t recommend that anyone on this physique, of both political occasion, does not wish to know what the reason for autism is,” Hassan mentioned. “If you proceed to sow doubt about settled science, it makes it inconceivable for us to maneuver ahead.”
One other tense second got here when Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, the newly elected Democratic senator from Maryland, questioned Kennedy. Alsobrooks requested about his declare in a 2021 look that: “We shouldn’t be giving Black individuals the identical vaccine schedule that is given to whites as a result of their immune system is best than ours.”
Kennedy replied by mentioning “a collection of research,” which will embody 2014 analysis from the Mayo Clinic that confirmed a extra sturdy immune response amongst African American contributors in a research of the rubella vaccine.
“What completely different vaccine schedule would you say I ought to have obtained?” Alsobrooks, who’s Black, requested Kennedy. “That’s so harmful,” she added.
‘Folks in authority lie’
Democrats continued questioning Kennedy on a few of his wilder claims that lack proof, together with that Wi-Fi and 5G trigger most cancers, that AIDS is a special illness in Africa than within the U.S., and that Lyme illness might have been developed as a navy bioweapon.
Kennedy mentioned he stood behind his claims about Wi-Fi and his description of AIDS. He mentioned he “by no means believed” Lyme was created by the navy, however didn’t disavow his earlier statements. He cited three books suggesting the idea that he admitted he had not learn completely.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., confronted Kennedy a few social media publish referring to the 9/11 assaults he made throughout his presidential run final 12 months, Kennedy wrote: “It is exhausting to inform what’s a conspiracy idea and what is not” and mentioned if elected he wouldn’t “take sides on 9/11.”
“As a common matter, do you discover it exhausting to inform what’s a conspiracy idea and what is not? Is that sort of a common deficit that you just discover in your individual analytical talents?” Kaine requested. Kennedy responded that his father had taught him that “individuals in authority lie.”
A weak grasp on well being coverage
Kennedy stumbled in his first listening to on Wednesday when requested about Medicare and Medicaid — two huge medical insurance packages he would oversee as HHS secretary. On Thursday, senators continued questioning his fundamental data of the packages and of well being coverage extra broadly. Hassan quizzed him on completely different points of Medicare and his solutions have been incorrect.
He was questioned by Rating Member Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., about congressional Republican proposals to make dramatic cuts to Medicaid. Kennedy mentioned he hadn’t seen these proposals. “You are going to have a big affect on well being care coverage” if confirmed, Sanders mentioned.
“I can solely let you know what President Trump has advised me, which is that he desires me to make Medicaid, Medicare and Obamacare higher,” Kennedy mentioned.