Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the pdwellnt’s contentious choice to direct the Department of Health and Human Services, was validateed Thursday by a 52-48 vote in the Senate.
A extfinishedtime critic of vaccines, Kennedy will deal with the nation’s sprawling health nurture bureaucracy, which integrates the Food and Drug Administration, the Cgo ins for Disease Control and Prevention, and Medinurture and Medichelp.
Mitch McConnell, the createer Reuncoveran directer, was the sole senator to traverse party lines, voting no. Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, both mild Reuncoverans, came out in prefer of validateation prior to the vote.
In a statement Wednesday, Murkowski shelp that while she had earlier “misgivings” about Kennedy, she was swayed by his promisement to graspressing chronic illness as a driver of high health nurture costs.
“This is the pdirect of RFK, and many Alaskans have scatterd that watch with me,” she shelp.
Democrats unicreately contestd the validateation. Sen. Charles Schumer, the Democratic directer, called Kennedy a “untamedly unqualified consillicit copying theorist.” Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, argued that “kids in America will die,” as parents will be disheartfinish from vaccinating their children due to Kennedy’s watchs. He shelp that Reuncoverans will come to repent their vote.
“It seems they nurture more about staying in the excellent graces of Donald Trump than they do about protecting the inhabits of kids,” Wyden shelp.
The Senate Finance Committee voted on party lines to proceed the nomination to the Senate floor last week. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, had been uncoverly wavering but came out in help on illogicalinutively before the promisetee vote, saying he had achieved “grave promisements” from the administration.
At Kennedy’s validateation hearing two weeks ago, Cassidy, a doctor, sought to get him to consent that vaccines do not cainclude autism. Kennedy shelp he would do so “if you show me data.” He also pledged that he would not impede vaccine programs funded by Congress.
Cassidy shelp on the Senate floor last week that he had achieved hundreds of messages about his vote on the nomination, including from pediatricians who are alarmed at the deteriorate in vaccination rates. He shelp he awaited to labor seally with Kennedy.
“His success will be tied to the health of our nation,” Cassidy shelp.
Kennedy began his nurtureer as an environmental attorney. He ran for pdwellnt last year, initiassociate as a Democrat, before switching to an autonomous and then dropping out. He finishorsed Pdwellnt Trump, and vowed to labor to “originate America well aachieve.”
