During his opening statement before the Senate Finance Committee, RFK Jr. highlighted the pressing issue of chronic disease in the United States. Citing data from the CDC, he pointed out that a significant portion of healthcare spending, specifically 90%, is allocated towards managing chronic diseases. These conditions disproportionately affect lower-income Americans, making it a critical area for attention.
RFK emphasized that the President's commitment to healthcare is not limited to a select group but encompasses all Americans. He acknowledged that chronic diseases have multiple contributing factors and refrained from attributing blame to any single entity. RFK expressed a willingness to collaborate with various stakeholders to address this common goal of combating chronic diseases.
As President Trump's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, RFK intends to challenge the perception that he is 'anti-vaccine.' He clarified his stance by stating that he is pro-safety rather than anti-vaccine or anti-industry. RFK drew a parallel to his advocacy for safe practices in consuming fish, emphasizing that his support for vaccine safety does not equate to opposition to vaccines themselves. He underscored the importance of vaccines in healthcare by highlighting that all of his children are vaccinated.
