Republican senators are seeking public commitments from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. before deciding whether to support him as the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. This signals that President Donald Trump's pick will need to win over uncertain Republicans to secure the job.
Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, who is anti-abortion rights, expressed concerns about Kennedy's past comments supporting access to abortion. She emphasized the need for Kennedy to publicly state his position on abortion, citing her strong focus on pro-life issues as a major concern.
Republican senators and anti-abortion advocates have raised alarms about Kennedy's stance on abortion, his previous Democratic presidential bid, and his support for abortion access until fetal viability. These factors are seen as vulnerabilities by Trump's team.
Abortion is not the only issue that Republican senators will be scrutinizing Kennedy on during upcoming confirmation hearings. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who recently voted against Trump's Department of Defense nominee, expressed ongoing concerns about Kennedy's history of casting doubts on the safety and efficacy of vaccines.
Murkowski highlighted the importance of vaccines and stated that she, along with other senators, will be seeking public commitments from Kennedy on various issues. The confirmation hearings this week are expected to delve into these concerns and require Kennedy to address them publicly.
