WASHINGTON — The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the position of the nation’s health secretary faces uncertainty after a prominent Republican aligned with the Democrats, expressing ongoing apprehensions about Kennedy’s skepticism toward routine childhood vaccinations, which are critical in preventing life-threatening illnesses.
Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana, concluded a lengthy three-hour confirmation hearing by revealing to Kennedy that he was “struggling” with the decision regarding his nomination and mentioned he might reach out to Kennedy over the weekend, although he did not specify how he would vote.
As a healthcare professional and liver doctor, Cassidy has consistently advocated for vaccinations, including those for COVID-19. He repeatedly urged Kennedy to renounce any claims suggesting that vaccines contribute to diseases such as autism. Kennedy’s unwillingness to do so seemed to concern Cassidy significantly.
“If there’s any false note, any undermining of a mother’s trust in vaccines, another life could be lost to a preventable disease,” Cassidy remarked.
Facing reelection next year, Cassidy articulated the dilemma he confronted as a physician who understands the lifesaving benefits of vaccines, while also being mindful of Kennedy’s substantial support base among Republicans, including those aligned with President Donald Trump. Cassidy’s experience with such challenging predicaments is not unfamiliar to him; he notably voted to convict Trump during his first impeachment trial in 2021.
Kennedy’s controversial stance on vaccines threatens to alienate key Republican support and has not succeeded in winning favor among Democrats in his pursuit to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. If all Democrats oppose Kennedy’s nomination, he can afford to lose only three Republican votes to secure approval.
Additionally, Kennedy needs to persuade pivotal senators like Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitch McConnell, who have displayed skepticism towards Kennedy and previously voted against other Trump nominees. Any Republican contemplating a “no” vote will likely face intense pressure from Trump’s political camp, which has a history of rallying against dissenting party members over nominee support.
Kennedy’s movement, “Make America Healthy Again,” encourages supporters to flood the communications channels of hesitant senators with their views on his nomination. Following last year’s launch of his presidential campaign, Kennedy has now allied with Trump in a mutual goal of challenging the established order.
Despite claiming not to be “anti-vaccine,” Kennedy has instilled doubt about the United States’ vaccine framework in the eyes of many legislators. At the hearing, Cassidy pressed Kennedy directly to affirm whether he could unequivocally reassure parents that the hepatitis B and measles vaccines do not lead to autism. Kennedy sidestepped a direct answer and instead promised he would support scientific conclusions if the data supported them.
In a rare moment of bipartisan inquiry, Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont reiterated Cassidy’s questions, to which Kennedy again failed to provide a definitive assurance. Toward the end of the hearing, Cassidy supplied Kennedy with studies that assert vaccines are not linked to autism, urging him to accept established research. Kennedy, however, countered with a different article that Cassidy described as flawed.
Cassidy noted that stating vaccines do not cause autism would have a profound impact, saying, “That would be your power.” The emotional weight of the testimony was underscored when Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire spoke candidly as a mother troubled by past concerns regarding vaccines and their alleged links to her son’s cerebral palsy, which stemmed from a discredited study.
Hassan criticized Kennedy for perpetuating doubts about vaccines, claiming it undermines efforts to uncover the actual causes of autism and harms families affected by the condition. “When you continue to sow doubt about settled science, it makes it impossible for us to move forward,” she emphasized.
Despite Cassidy’s rigorous examination, other Republicans on the health committee were generally supportive of Kennedy. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, whose sons support Kennedy’s presidential ambitions, indicated that his granddaughter would not receive an extensive array of vaccines.
The hearing also highlighted varying perspectives among Republicans regarding vaccine safety. Both Senators Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and Tuberville expressed some hesitancy about vaccine safety, although they admitted to vaccinating their children. Mullin questioned the legitimacy of questioning scientific consensus.
Concerns about Kennedy’s financial connections to lawsuits against vaccine manufacturers emerged as another contentious topic. Senator Tim Kaine from Virginia scrutinized Kennedy’s financial disclosures related to a lawsuit against the Gardasil vaccine, questioning his ability to maintain impartiality on vaccine matters given his potential for financial gain.
Kennedy maintained that he had relinquished his financial stake in the case when pressed by Kaine. Kaine also challenged Kennedy’s social media comments, where he avoided labeling any perspectives related to conspiracy theories surrounding 9/11.
The questioning from both sides leaned towards abortion policies, with Senate Republicans asking Kennedy about appointing “pro-life” deputies, while Democrats questioned how he would address the abortion medication mifepristone amid ongoing legal battles involving the Biden administration over the drug’s access.
Kennedy noted that no policy decision had yet been made on mifepristone, which has been in use for over twenty years to safely terminate pregnancies. He stated, “With mifepristone, President Trump has not chosen a policy and I will implement his policy.”
As Kennedy aims to head an agency with a budget of $1.7 trillion encompassing health care programs like Medicare and Medicaid, as well as vaccine approvals, the Senate Finance Committee, where Cassidy is a member, ultimately holds the responsibility for advancing his nomination to the Senate floor for a vote. During a previous hearing, Kennedy had misstated fundamental information regarding Medicare and Medicaid, yet many Republicans endorsed his initiative to encourage healthier food choices and research into chronic illness causes.
