John Jefferson
The Senate Finance Committee voted to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday.
Kennedy received the 14–13 vote necessary to move forward. The vote fell along party lines.
Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana voted for Kennedy, although he was the only Republican to express hesitation about his confirmation. Cassidy, a medical doctor, took issue with Kennedy’s previous stance on vaccines.
“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 posted on X Tuesday morning.
Kennedy faced two days of hearings before the Senate Finance Committee on January 29 and 30, where he faced questions about his view of vaccines, abortion, and food.
Kennedy will need to win the majority of the Senate’s votes to become HHS secretary. The full Senate has yet to schedule their vote to confirm Kennedy.
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