In a highly anticipated Senate hearing, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was compelled to clarify his stances on critical health issues, including vaccines, abortion, and public health priorities, The Associated Press reports.
This hearing marks the first of two as Kennedy seeks to persuade lawmakers to support his nomination as President Donald Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, the $1.7 trillion agency overseeing medical research, public health initiatives, and health care programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
Members of the Senate Finance Committee, predominantly Republicans, expressed optimism that Kennedy could play a pivotal role in addressing chronic diseases and reducing healthcare costs. However, Democratic senators challenged him, referencing previous statements from his books and public appearances to elucidate inconsistencies in his positions on vaccines and abortion.
Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat, highlighted the difficulty in pinning down Kennedy’s current views. Kennedy’s second appearance is scheduled for Thursday before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Kennedy declared that he is not opposed to vaccines, despite a past marked by vociferous criticism of their safety.
“I am not anti-vaccine,” he stated. “I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing as HHS secretary that discourages people from taking either of those vaccines.”
Democrats pointed to Kennedy’s past remarks, including his labeling of COVID-19 vaccines as “a crime against humanity” and his claims that they contribute to autism.
Questions regarding Kennedy’s evolving position on abortion also took center stage. His nomination has faced backlash from both pro-choice and anti-abortion groups, prompting Democrats to scrutinize his motivations for changing rhetoric to align with Trump.
Amidst the contentious exchanges, Republican senators expressed hope that Kennedy could address the nation’s troubled healthcare system. Idaho Senator Mike Crapo commended Kennedy’s commitment to tackling chronic health issues, asserting that prioritizing disease prevention could lead to a healthier society.
Kennedy consistently emphasized the need for “more research” into various health products and treatments, proposing that he would investigate the safety of mifepristone, an abortion pill with a proven safety track record.
Throughout the hearing, senators referenced Kennedy’s previous comments, including a controversial statement suggesting that COVID-19 was engineered to target specific ethnic groups. When confronted, he denied the assertion, although he acknowledged having described Lyme disease as “likely a militarily engineered bioweapon.”
