Washington — The Senate Finance Committee is considering Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination on Tuesday, with a key vote on whether to advance his confirmation to lead the Department of Health and Human Services after a pair of fiery hearings last week.
Kennedy appeared Wednesday before the finance committee for a confirmation hearing, before testifying to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions the following day. During both appearances, Democrats on the committees — and even some Republicans — grilled the longtime environmental lawyer and activist on his stances on vaccines, abortion, and other issues.
President Trump’s pick for HHS secretary has faced scrutiny from both sides. Though Kennedy, 71, initially sought the Democratic presidential nomination and has close ties to the party as the nephew of President John F. Kennedy and the son of Robert F. Kennedy, he dropped out of the presidential race to endorse Mr. Trump in August, and has long been the recipient of the Democratic establishment’s ire.
Though the bulk of Republicans on the committee are expected to support advancing Kennedy’s nomination, much attention has been paid to Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican and medical doctor who has expressed concern over the president’s pick for HHS secretary.
Cassidy said last week that he’s been “struggling” with Kennedy’s nomination due to concerns that he may undermine faith in vaccines, and noted that Kenendy might hear from him over the weekend. The two men spoke on Sunday, according to a person familiar with their conversation.
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Without support from Democrats on the committee, which has a one-member GOP advantage, Cassidy’s opposition could tank a favorable recommendation for Kennedy to the full Senate.
Amid the pushback, some had looked to possible support from Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent. But Sanders said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” Sunday that he was “not particularly happy” with Kennedy’s presentation before the Senate committees last week, though he would not say how he plans to vote.
Meanwhile, two Democrats on the committee, Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the ranking member, and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, raised alarm about possible conflicts of interest in recent days, penning a letter to Kennedy concerning his potential to profit from vaccine-related litigation. Paired with his long-held stances on vaccine safety, the senators said the possible conflicts give them “grave concern” about his ability to serve as HHS secretary.
Kennedy has earned referral fees from a Los Angeles personal injury law firm, Wisner Baum, for years. The firm is currently suing Merck concerning warnings about the safety of the HPV vaccine. Kennedy agreed to divest his interests in the cases he has referred to Wisner Baum to a “non-dependent, adult family member.” The senators noted in their letter that Kennedy in his written response to committee questions indicated he was divesting the interest to one of his adult sons — a detail which they called “troubling.”
“The arrangement outlined in your Ethics Agreement Amendment is plainly inadequate, as it would appear to allow an immediate family member to benefit financially from your position as Secretary,” the senators wrote, adding that “vaccine-related decisions” that Kennedy could make as HHS secretary “could result in significant financial compensation for your family.”
The Democrats also asked Kennedy to commit in writing to recuse himself from all vaccine-related communications and decisions and pledge not to litigate cases involving vaccines or have a financial interest in the cases for at least four years after leaving office. Kennedy said during Wednesday’s hearing that he would “comply with all the ethical guidelines.”
Should Kennedy’s nomination advance to the Senate floor, Republicans can afford to lose just three votes to confirm him without support from across the aisle, with Vice President J.D. Vance serving as a tie-breaker.
The developments come as Senate Republicans have pushed to quickly confirm Mr. Trump’s nominees to his Cabinet and top administration posts, with appointees like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sailing to confirmation, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth eked by with a 51-50 vote on his confirmation.
The president decried pushback from Democrats regarding his nominees in a post on Truth Social Sunday, saying “no matter how good and well qualified someone is, they are taking maximum time for approval — and laughing about it.”
“Republicans must GET TOUGH — AND MUST GET TOUGH VERY FAST,” Trump said. “We need our Nominees NOW, for the Safety and Good of our Country!”
