RFK Jr. confirmed and sworn in as HHS secretary

Washington — The Senate voted Thursday to verify Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the Division of Well being and Human Providers, following weeks of questions surrounding whether or not the controversial nominee would win the Senate’s approval. 

Senators voted 52 to 48 to verify Kennedy. The vote fell largely alongside get together strains, with one Republican — Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky — becoming a member of Democrats in opposing him. McConnell, a survivor of childhood polio, stated in a press release that Kennedy “didn’t show he’s the absolute best individual” for the put up, whereas citing his report on vaccines. 

Kennedy was sworn in to the position by Supreme Court docket Justice Neil Gorsuch throughout a ceremony on the White Home later within the day.

Kennedy, 71, is a longtime environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist whose household has mythic standing in Democratic politics. The nephew of President John F. Kennedy and the son of Robert F. Kennedy launched his personal White Home bid in 2023. And though he initially sought the Democratic nomination, Kennedy modified his bid to unbiased, earlier than dropping out to endorse President Trump in August.  

Earlier than coming into politics, Kennedy labored for 20 years as president of the Waterkeeper Alliance, a nonprofit. He additionally based Kids’s Well being Protection, which has launched authorized challenges towards vaccine necessities and approvals, and served as its chairman starting in 2016. Kennedy is married to actor Cheryl Hines. He has six kids.

Together with his affirmation, Kennedy might be on the helm of the sprawling HHS division, which incorporates the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, the Nationwide Institutes of Well being, the Facilities for Medicare & Medicaid Providers and the Meals and Drug Administration.

RFK Jr.’s path to affirmation 

After Mr. Trump picked Kennedy for HHS secretary, pledging on the marketing campaign path to let him “go wild” on points regarding well being, meals and medication, Kennedy’s affirmation initially seemed to be on shaky floor. With controversial stances on vaccines and abortion, Kennedy garnered opposition from each side of the aisle. Then, a pair of affirmation hearings that includes tense exchanges with a number of senators did little to quiet issues about his path to affirmation, with little wiggle room amongst Republicans to advance his nomination out of committee. 

Because it turned clear Kennedy wouldn’t discover help amongst Democrats on the committee, the vote to advance his nomination got here right down to a single Republican — Sen. Invoice Cassidy of Louisiana — whose vote would tip the dimensions in both course. Cassidy, a medical physician, had expressed consternation over Kennedy’s nomination due to the doubts he has raised about vaccines for many years. 

In a shock transfer moments forward of the committee vote, nonetheless, Cassidy stated he would help Kennedy, citing “severe commitments” he stated he’d acquired from administration. He later stated Kennedy and the administration had agreed “that he and I’d have an unprecedentedly shut collaborative working relationship,” talking a number of occasions a month.

“He would be the secretary, however I consider he will even be a accomplice,” Cassidy stated. 

After Kennedy’s nomination superior out of committee, Republican opposition within the full Senate additionally appeared to dissipate. Two senators who’re among the many few Republicans who’ve voted to oppose any of the president’s nominees, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, introduced they might help Kennedy’s affirmation this week. And on Wednesday, all Republicans voted to advance his nomination in a procedural vote that fell alongside get together strains.

The ultimate vote to verify Kennedy as HHS secretary got here after weeks of pushback by Democrats, who warned of the widespread affect Kennedy may have on the well being system. Senate Democrats spent hours on the Senate ground vocalizing their opposition to his affirmation Wednesday. 

Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the rating Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, which was the committee that voted on advancing Kennedy’s nomination, known as him an “anti-vaccine crusader” and the “least certified nominee to ever be nominated for a place of this significance.”


“Our colleagues on the opposite aspect of the aisle nonetheless have a possibility to show away from a harmful path,” Wyden stated on Wednesday. “If they don’t, my view is their legacy might be tarnished by setbacks in science that can echo in America for many years.”

Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer stated forward of the vote Thursday morning that he is “proud” that each Democrat will oppose Kennedy’s nomination, arguing that if the Senate held a vote on Kennedy underneath a secret poll, “Mr. Kennedy would by no means come near changing into confirmed.”

“Many if not most Republicans would vote towards him,” Schumer continued. “However sadly and sadly for America, Republicans are being strong-armed by Donald Trump and can find yourself holding their nostril and voting to verify Mr. Kennedy.”

In his assertion explaining why he voted towards Kennedy, McConnell cited his historical past with polio, saying that in his lifetime he is “watched vaccines save hundreds of thousands of lives from devastating illnesses throughout America and world wide.” The previous GOP chief added that he “is not going to condone the re-litigation of confirmed cures.”

“People, mother and father, and households have a proper to push for a more healthy nation and demand the absolute best scientific steering on stopping and treating sickness,” McConnell stated. “However a report of trafficking in harmful conspiracy theories and eroding belief in public well being establishments doesn’t entitle Mr. Kennedy to steer these necessary efforts.”

Throughout his opening assertion to the Senate Finance Committee final month, Kennedy stated that “People’ general well being is in a grievous situation,” citing excessive weight problems, diabetes and most cancers charges, amongst different situations on the rise, whereas pledging to ship on his and Mr. Trump’s promise to “make America wholesome once more.”

“I promised President Trump that if confirmed I’ll do all the things in my energy to place the well being of People again on observe,” Kennedy stated.