Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, faced the first of two Senate panels on Wednesday. His nomination is widely expected to be among the most challenging for President Trump to get confirmed.
Kennedy first appeared before the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday before his Thursday testimony for the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
These hearings follow a letter sent by Kennedy's cousin Caroline Kennedy, who called RFK Jr. a "predator" and would “show off” by putting baby chickens and mice in a blender to feed to his hawks while hosting peers.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s views on widely accepted medical practices such as vaccines have come under intense scrutiny. Kennedy has said he is not "anti-vaccine." However, he has made numerous claims about vaccines that have been disputed by major health organizations. One such widely debunked claim is that vaccines are tied to autism.
"In my advocacy, I've often disturbed the status quo by asking uncomfortable questions," he said on Wednesday. "Well, I'm not gonna apologize for that. We have massive health problems in this country that we must face honestly. And the first thing I've done every morning for the past 20 years is to get on my knees and pray to God that he would put me in a position to end the chronic disease epidemic and to help America's children."
He continued to say that he would not reduce access to vaccines if confirmed, which drew apprehension from Democrats on the committee.
"I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking either of those vaccines," he said.
But these answers gave little solace to Democrats.
"The receipts show that Mr. Kennedy has embraced conspiracy theories, quacks, charlatans, especially when it comes to the safety and efficacy of vaccines. He has made it his life's work to sow doubt and discourage parents from getting their kids life-saving vaccines," said Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee.
Conservatives have also expressed doubts about Kennedy due to his views on abortion.
"I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy," Kennedy said. "I agree with him that we cannot be a moral nation if we have 1.2 million abortions a year. I agree with him that the states should control abortion. President Trump has told me that he wants to end late-term abortions, and he wants to protect conscience exemptions, and that he wants to end federal funding for abortions.
"I serve at the pleasure of the president. I'm gonna implement his policies."
Kennedy struggled to give answers about the mechanisms of Medicare and Medicaid, and how he might reform the programs.
At times he misstated that Medicaid was fully federally funded, while it is in fact funded by a mixture of federal and state money, and attributed high premiums to the program when it is in fact nearly free for recipients.
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Dozens of Nobel laureates have asked senators to reject Kennedy's nomination based on concerns that Kennedy would “put the public’s health in jeopardy and undermine America’s global leadership in the health sciences.”
In December, a statement from the Trump transition team said, "Mr. Kennedy would help to restore the integrity of our healthcare and make America healthy again."
Kennedy has said that if confirmed, he would push to reduce food additives such as dyes and preservatives, and increase access to healthier foods.
It will take a majority of 100 senators to confirm Kennedy. Republicans hold 53 seats in the Senate.
