Kennedy seemed prior to a Senate committee for the second one consecutive day relating to his nomination for secretary of well being and human products and services.
In a fiery trade with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Jan. 30, President Donald Trump’s Secretary of Well being and Human Services and products nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. chastised the lawmaker for accepting cash from pharmaceutical corporations.
Sanders is the Senate Committee on Well being, Training, Exertions, and Pensions (HELP) score member.
On Jan. 30, Kennedy spoke back questions from the panel after showing prior to the Senate Committee on Finance for his first affirmation listening to on Jan. 29.
All over the trade, Sanders mentioned that The united states’s well being care device is “damaged” because of “probably the most causes that Kennedy indicated,” which contains persistent illness and the existence expectancy in america this is less than nations “a ways poorer than we’re.”
Sanders requested Kennedy if, as HHS secretary, he would ensure well being care protection to “each unmarried American.”
Kennedy responded that he intends to “make The united states fitter than different nations on the planet.”
“At the moment, we’re the sickest.”
He went on to signify that Sanders and different participants of the committee have been permitting their monetary pursuits to steer their positions on public well being coverage.
“You recognize, the issue of corruption isn’t just within the federal companies. It’s in Congress too,” Kennedy mentioned. “Virtually all of the participants of this panel are accepting—together with your self—are accepting tens of millions of greenbacks from the pharmaceutical trade, protective their pursuits.”
Sanders denied the accusation.
“I ran for president such as you. I were given tens of millions of contributions. They didn’t come from the executives,” Sanders mentioned. He mentioned that the donations got here from employees and that “no longer one nickel of PAC cash” from the pharmaceutical trade helped fund his marketing campaign.
In 2020, Sanders ran for the Democrat presidential nomination that was once in the end secured by means of now-former President Joe Biden.
Kennedy famous that Sanders was once the one greatest recipient in Congress of pharmaceutical monetary reinforce in 2020.
Sanders denied after which informed Kennedy, “You haven’t spoke back my final query.”
In line with Open Secrets and techniques, Sanders was once the highest recipient of cash from prescription drugs and well being merchandise in 2019–2020 within the Senate at $1,417,633.
Previous within the listening to, Kennedy addressed the war of pursuits for lawmakers receiving donations from pharmaceutical corporations.
Most of the senators “who’re protecting the present device” are taking “massive quantities of cash from the pharmaceutical trade—tens of millions of greenbacks for lots of of those senators,” Kennedy mentioned.
“This isn’t making our nation fitter. It’s making us sicker. We wish to eliminate those conflicts. We’d like excellent science and we want excellent management that is in a position to rise up to those large industries and no longer bend over for them,” he mentioned.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., nominee for Secretary of Well being and Human Services and products, testifies prior to the Senate Committee on Well being, Training, Exertions, and Pensions on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 30, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Occasions
In his opening commentary, Kennedy prolonged his condolences to people who have been killed within the air crisis in Washington on Jan. 29.
He mentioned that Trump “understands that we will’t be a powerful country” until there are wholesome American citizens. Kennedy mentioned that “over part of our nation” is chronically sick lately.
“I promise President Trump, that, if showed, I can do the whole thing in my energy to position the well being of The united states again on course,” Kennedy mentioned.
Reiterating his feedback prior to the finance committee on Jan. 29, Kennedy informed well being committee participants that he’s “professional protection” and “professional excellent science” relating to vaccines.
“I labored for 40 years to boost consciousness about mercury and different toxins in fish, and no one referred to as me anti-fish. All my youngsters are vaccinated. I consider vaccines have stored tens of millions of lives and play a vital position in healthcare,” he mentioned.
Kennedy ran for president as a Democrat after which an unbiased prior to finishing his White Space bid and backing Trump in August 2024.
Combating persistent illness, making improvements to youngsters’s well being, and addressing company affect on govt companies had been essential portions of Kennedy’s platform.
If showed, he would head a division that manages 13 companies, together with the Facilities for Illness Keep an eye on and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Meals and Drug Management (FDA), and the Nationwide Institutes of Well being.
The Senate Committee on Finance will vote on whether or not to advance him to a complete Senate ground vote.
To develop into HHS secretary, Kennedy will have to get a easy majority to achieve affirmation. Republicans cling a 53–47 majority within the chamber.
As they did on Jan. 29 when Kennedy seemed prior to the Senate Committee on Finance, a couple of Democrats at the HELP panel requested questions and left little time for the nominee to respond to and ceaselessly interrupted his responses.
Democrats and Republicans many times pressed Kennedy about his plans associated with abortion.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) requested the nominee if he would appoint “pro-life” deputies, to which Kennedy mentioned he would.
Kennedy mentioned that, as HHS secretary, he would reinforce Trump’s insurance policies.
The subject of vaccines was once outstanding all over the listening to.
Kennedy mentioned that vaccines serve crucial position in well being care. He mentioned that individuals who document uncomfortable side effects must no longer be disregarded, and “the gold same old” of analysis must be carried out to vaccines.
Democrats derided Kennedy for what they deemed as “bad” stances and feedback about vaccine efficacy.
The nominee additionally gained skepticism from Sen. Invoice Cassidy (R-L. a..), the well being committee chairman who could also be a health care provider.
“Whether or not it’s justified or no longer, I’ve constituents who in part credit score you for his or her choice not to vaccinate their kid,” Cassidy informed Kennedy prior to sharing a tale about an 18-year-old girl who was once in liver failure on account of a hepatitis an infection.
“It was once the worst day of my clinical profession as a result of I believed $50 of vaccines may have averted this all,” Cassidy mentioned.
Cassidy then requested Kennedy if he would reassure oldsters that the Hepatitis B and measles vaccines don’t motive autism.
“If the knowledge is there, I can completely do this,” Kennedy mentioned, including that he would individually express regret if research confirmed vaccines don’t motive autism.
Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) shared a private account about how she has spent many years questioning what brought about her 36-year-old son’s cerebral palsy.
She mentioned that she puzzled whether or not vaccines contributed to her son’s situation till studying a find out about that claimed there’s no hyperlink between autism and vaccines.
Hassan mentioned Kennedy’s feedback that vaccines may just motive autism have been harming households.
“He’s re-litigating and churning settled science so we will’t cross ahead and to find out what the reason for autism is and deal with those youngsters and lend a hand those households,” Hassan mentioned.
“While you proceed to sow doubt about settled science, it makes it inconceivable for us to transport ahead.”
Kennedy has mentioned for years that autism is most probably tied to early life vaccines and that there’s no concrete proof disproving the declare.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) criticized Democrats at the panel for focused on Kennedy’s stance on vaccine protection.
“I don’t perceive why my colleagues all unexpected say we will’t query science,” Mullin mentioned.
If Kennedy was once the HHS secretary nominee underneath former President Joe Biden, Mullin mentioned, “I’d wager you guys would have his again 100%, revel in the truth that he’s puzzled science, and would most likely reinforce his positions 100%.”
“If we didn’t query science, the place would we be lately?” Mullin requested.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a vocal supporter of Kennedy, didn’t ask a query on the listening to and delivered an deal with backing the wondering of science.
“I feel the dialogue over vaccines is so oversimplified and dumbed down that we by no means in point of fact get to actual truths,” Paul mentioned.
There’s a trust in “submission” amongst lawmakers who consider there must be no dialogue about vaccines, Paul mentioned.
“There needs to be a debate. You’re no longer going to let him [Kennedy] have the controversy since you’re simply going to criticize and say it’s this and admit to it, or we’re no longer going to nominate you,” Paul mentioned.
“However it’s extra difficult than that, and this is the reason other people mistrust govt since you’re unwilling to have those conversations.”
No different hearings are scheduled about Kennedy. He now awaits the finance committee’s choice on whether or not they are going to advance his nomination to the Senate ground for a complete vote.
Samantha Flom contributed to this document.