(Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, will move forward in the confirmation process after advancing through the Senate Finance Committee in a tight vote.
The committee voted 14-13 Tuesday to advance Kennedy, with all Democrats in opposition to the candidate whom they see as an unqualified wild card.
Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., argued the HHS needs a “serious person at the helm” and said Kennedy “seems more obsessed with chasing conspiracy theories than chasing solutions.”
The partisan grandstanding is likely to cost Warnock on the campaign trail in his 2028 re-election bid. Kennedy’s former running mate, Nicole Shanahan, released a video last week noting that she had been a major donor in the effort to flip Georgia blue during the 2020 election—which ushered in both Warnock and Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga.
Shanahan, the ex-wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, has now promised to devote her resources to defeating Warnock, Ossoff, and any other senators—Democrat or Republican—who refuse to back Kennedy for his confirmation.
Dear U.S. Senators,
Bobby may play nice; I won’t. pic.twitter.com/G9SZjZhFYR
— Nicole Shanahan (@NicoleShanahan) January 29, 2025
Kennedy, an environmental lawyer, has spent decades calling out industry influence over regulatory agencies like the Food and Drug Administration, but has been attacked for leaving the Democratic Party after party elites refused to let him debate then-President Joe Biden.
He has also questioned the safety and efficacy of certain vaccines, a hot-button issue as the Biden administration’s COVID-19 response—including vaccine mandates and forced shutdowns—is likely to face serious scrutiny from the new administration.
Kennedy has also brought attention to the role ultra-processed foods and chemical additives play in rising chronic disease rates, a focus he promises to continue if confirmed.
The HHS secretary oversees the nation’s largest healthcare programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP.
Kennedy was grilled by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., during his hearing last week about potential improvements to Medicaid and Medicare. Despite expressing serious doubts, Cassidy, a doctor and vaccine advocate, ultimately voted to move Kennedy’s confirmation process forward.
“I’ve had very intense conversations with Bobby and the White House over the weekend and even this morning,” Cassidy said on X minutes before the 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.”
I’ve had very intense conversations with Bobby and the White House over the weekend and even this morning. I want to thank VP JD specifically for his honest counsel. With the serious commitments I’ve received from the administration and the opportunity to make progress on the…
— U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@SenBillCassidy) February 4, 2025
Kennedy’s nomination will now proceed for a final vote to the Senate floor, which just confirmed energy mogul Chris Wright as energy secretary Monday evening in a bipartisan 59-38.
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