The Senate Finance Committee has approved Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), sending it to the full Senate for a vote. The 14-13 vote passed along party lines, despite Kennedy’s contentious confirmation hearings last week, where he clashed with both Republican and Democratic senators.
Kennedy faced criticism over accusations of profiting from lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers, his refusal to deny that vaccines cause autism, and his reversal on his pro-abortion stance. However, the committee vote marked a significant step forward for Kennedy’s nomination.
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) voted in favor of advancing Kennedy’s nomination, despite expressing deep concerns about Kennedy’s anti-vaccine rhetoric. Cassidy, who chairs the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, had sought assurances that Kennedy would fully support public health initiatives. The two met for “intense conversations” over the weekend, after which Cassidy decided to cast his vote in favor of Kennedy. Cassidy, a medical doctor, had questioned Kennedy’s commitment to public health during the hearings, but said he was swayed by commitments from the administration on health-related issues, such as healthy foods and a pro-American agenda.
“I will vote yes,” Cassidy said in a statement, acknowledging the importance of working on shared priorities despite their disagreements.
The vote is significant for Cassidy, whose relationship with President Trump’s supporters has become strained, particularly in a state where Trump won by a significant margin. Politico reports that Cassidy could face repercussions in his party’s nomination if the tension with Trump’s base continues.
Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), chair of the Finance Committee, urged members to approve Kennedy, citing his long history of advocating for healthcare transparency and his efforts to address America’s chronic illness epidemic. Kennedy, a former environmental lawyer, has built a substantial following with his campaign to “Make America Healthy Again.”
However, committee Democrats remained skeptical. Ranking member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) criticized Kennedy for failing to recant his anti-vaccine stance during the hearings, accusing him of continuing to promote dangerous conspiracy theories.
“Peddling these conspiracy theories as the nation’s chief healthcare officer will be deadly for kids across the country,” Wyden warned. He and other Democrats argued that Kennedy’s stance on vaccines made him unfit for the role of HHS Secretary.
Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia) also voiced opposition, calling Kennedy “more obsessed with chasing conspiracy theories than with finding solutions to lower healthcare costs for working families in Georgia.”
With the Finance Committee’s favorable recommendation, Kennedy’s nomination now moves to the full Senate for a vote. If Democrats remain unified in their opposition, Kennedy can afford to lose only three Republican votes. The three Republican senators who opposed the nomination of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth could potentially vote against Kennedy as well, according to reports. No date has been set for the full Senate vote, but Kennedy has cleared a major hurdle in convincing key committee members of his qualifications.
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