The Senate Finance Committee voted to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial nomination to be secretary of Health and Human Services to the full Senate.
The committee voted 14-13, along party lines, to confirm Kennedy after two hearings that at times turned contentious as many senators asked Kennedy about his record promoting the discredited link between vaccines and autism.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana and longtime physician, said before Tuesday’s vote that he would vote to confirm Kennedy. During his second hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Cassidy, the committee chairman, repeatedly grilled Kennedy about his claims about vaccines and autism.
“I’ve had very intense conversations with Bobby and the White House over the weekend and even this morning. I want to thank VP JD specifically for his honest counsel,” he wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “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, one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump for his actions on January 6, faces a difficult re-election and a right-wing primary challenge from Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming.
Trump himself has also suggested there’s a potential link between vaccines and autism, noting it in a Truth Social post just before the Senate panel’s vote.
“20 years ago, Autism in children was 1 in 10,000,” Trump posted. “NOW IT’S 1 in 34. WOW! Something’s really wrong. We need BOBBY!!! Thank You!”
Autism diagnoses spiked after The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders expanded the diagnostic criteria for autism as it had previously been considered a symptom of schizophrenia. The passage of the 1990 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act led to schools having to report the number of students it had with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Andrew Wakefield, the former British physician who released the since-retracted study linking autism and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, lost his medical license over his “irresponsible” research.
After the vote, Sen. Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said that Senate Democrats would fight tooth and nail against Kennedy.
“We are going to keep fighting for every possible vote on the floor,” he told reporters. “I will just tell you this is the most unqualified nominee I have encountered in my more than 40 years in public service.”
Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat from Georgia, warned that Trump had said he would let Kennedy “go wild” on health care. Meanwhile, Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said he thinks that’s a good thing.
“I, for one, think that it is time to put a disruptor in,” he said. “But there areas where I think that’s exactly what we need, and there are areas in Health and Human Services, that if you touch the gold standard for the NIH and the CDC, then I’ll have a problem with that nominee and we’ll bring it up during oversight.”
Kennedy’s vote comes as the Senate holds committee votes on some of President Donald Trump’s most contentious nominees. The Senate Intelligence Committee will also vote on Tuesday whether to advance former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to be director of National Intelligence.
That confirmation seemed more likely on Monday evening when Sen. Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee who had numerous outstanding concerns about Gabbard, announced she would vote to confirm her.
Kennedy’s nomination will now go to the full Senate floor for a vote. As Chairman Mike Crapo gaveled out the hearing, plenty of people broke out into applause.
