Robert Kennedy Jr on track to become Health Secretary
Robert Kennedy’s nomination for health secretary advanced after a key swing Republican voted for him in the Senate Finance Committee, likely clearing his path to confirmation.
The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Health and Human Services Department advanced Tuesday after a key swing Republican voted for the nominee in the Senate Finance Committee, likely clearing his path to confirmation.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R., La.), a medical doctor, voted with all of the committee’s Republicans to support Kennedy’s confirmation.
“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,” Cassidy said on social-media site X shortly before the vote.
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
Cassidy had been seen as a pivotal vote for Kennedy’s confirmation after he expressed deep concerns last week during the nominee’s hearings. He arrived late to the committee vote on Tuesday, walking into the room with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.) Cassidy had said last week that he had been “struggling” over Kennedy’s past comments about vaccines and the role they have played in making some parents hesitant to vaccinate their children.
The Louisiana Republican had urged Kennedy to make clear that he didn’t believe vaccines caused autism, but Kennedy had sidestepped such an endorsement, saying he would review the data.
More than 20 large-scale studies involving hundreds of thousands of children in several countries have discredited any association between the measles, mumps and rubella vaccines and autism. Additional large studies strongly suggest that no vaccine causes autism.
President Trump urged lawmakers to support Kennedy in a social-media post shortly before the committee vote Tuesday. “20 years ago, Autism in children was 1 in 10,000. NOW IT’S 1 in 34. WOW! Something’s really wrong. We need BOBBY!!!” Trump wrote.
The committee vote signalled that Kennedy’s path to becoming the nation’s top health official was becoming smoother. The final tally was 14 to 13.
In the full Senate vote, Kennedy can afford to lose up to three Republican votes if all Democrats oppose him. In the event of a tie, Vice President JD Vance can cast the deciding vote.
Potential GOP defectors include Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, a polio survivor, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine. No Republicans have said they plan to oppose him.
The full Senate vote to confirm Kennedy hasn’t yet been scheduled. A scion of the famous Democratic family, Kennedy ran for president last year and then suspended his campaign last summer and endorsed Trump, saying they had a joint mission to “Make America Healthy Again.” The phrase became a rallying cry picked up by many Republicans. Yet many Democrats and health authorities expressed concern, because Kennedy has questioned the safety of vaccines and suggested unproven links between the shots and a range of chronic diseases, including autism.
Democrats on the committee said Kennedy could undermine public health if he were confirmed. He had also struggled to answer questions about Medicare and Medicaid over two days of hearings last week.
“Making Robert Kennedy secretary of Health and Human Services in my view, colleagues, would be a grave threat to the health of the American people, ” said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the committee’s top Democrat, who called Kennedy “singularly unfit” for the post.
But Republicans hold a majority on the Finance committee, and most of the GOP committee members had coalesced around Kennedy, even though the nominee had in the past voiced support for abortion rights.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R., N.C.) said the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Rifle Association and groups that oppose abortion rights didn’t actively oppose Kennedy.
The partisan divide left Cassidy with the swing vote. His position was fraught. He had voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial. Now, he faces a primary challenger in his coming election in 2026.
“MAHA moms packed the halls of the Senate and made thousands of calls,” said Kennedy adviser Calley Means. “Their voice was heard.” Cassidy was the last senator to enter the hearing room.
“I’ve had very intense conversations with Bobby and the White House over the weekend and even this morning,” Cassidy said in his social-media post shortly before the vote. “I want to thank VP JD specifically for his honest counsel.”
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