WASHINGTON ― The Senate Finance Committee voted Tuesday to advance the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the full Senate, moving him one step closer to being confirmed as President Donald Trump’s health and human services secretary.
The final tally was 14-13. Every Democrat on the committee voted against advancing Kennedy’s nomination, while every Republican voted in favor of it.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who is a physician, had previously raised questions about Kennedy’s record, and was seen as a possible “no” vote on his nomination. But in the end, he joined his party and voted to advance Kennedy.
“I’ve had very intense conversations with Bobby and the White House over the weekend and even this morning,” Cassidy said on social media just minutes before casting his committee vote. “With the serious commitments I’ve received from the administration and the opportunity to make progress on the issues we agree on like healthy foods and a pro-American agenda, I will vote yes.”
Kennedy has drawn fierce opposition from Democrats and outside groups due to his long record of fueling conspiracies and anti-vaccine misinformation, as well as his plans for abortion medication. During his Senate confirmation hearings last week, Kennedy botched basic facts about Medicare and Medicaid ― two programs he’d oversee as HHS secretary.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Democrats on the finance committee piled on with warnings about Kennedy before and after the panel took its vote.
Kennedy is “singularly unfit to serve as HHS secretary,” said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the committee.
Wyden said he counted up that Kennedy has made 114 separate appearances in the last four years where he espoused anti-vaccine views or spread misinformation that falsely linked vaccines to autism.
Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) noted he was alarmed when he heard that Trump said he hoped Kennedy would “go wild” in his role as health and human services secretary.
“Of all the things I’d like to see the health and human services secretary do, ‘go wild’ is not on the list,” Warnock said.
Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) raised questions about Kennedy’s character and said he worries that HHS employees wouldn’t have confidence in him as a leader, something that is crucial in order for the department to function.
“Frankly, some of the things he did he never explained,” said Welch, citing past instances of Kennedy making questionable decisions. “A chainsaw taking off the head of a whale. Dumping a bear in Central Park for his own amusement. These are just weird things.”
Kennedy’s nomination now heads to the Senate floor.