By Lindsey McPherson and Tom Howell Jr. – The Washington Times – Wednesday, January 29, 2025

President Trump’s health secretary nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., on Wednesday said vaccines are a critical component of health care, hoping to push back on the main objection to his nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

Mr. Kennedy, testifying before the Senate Finance Committee, said his reputation as “anti-vaccine” stems from his push to scrutinize shots and whether they are made safely. He compared it to his push to combat mercury in fish.

“Nobody called me anti-fish,” Mr. Kennedy said.

More broadly, Mr. Kennedy promoted his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda by testifying the U.S. will sink into disease and debt if it keeps “rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic” instead of attacking the underlying causes of obesity and disease.

“Americans’ overall health is in grievous condition,” Mr. Kennedy said, citing high rates of obesity and chronic disease. “No wonder America has trouble competing with countries that pay a third of what we do for health and have better outcomes and a healthier workforce.”

Senators are considering whether Mr. Kennedy is qualified to lead HHS, a sprawling agency with a $1.7 trillion budget and oversight of food and drugs, disease-fighting efforts and major insurance programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, Idaho Republican, urged Mr. Kennedy to “chart a new and better course” for the U.S. health care system, which tends to spend far more than advanced nations while seeing worse outcomes.

The majority of the public audience gathered to watch the hearing stood and cheered when Mr. Kennedy entered the room.

A few of his supporters seated in the front row were wearing tan “Confirm RFK Jr.” hats. One protester, however, was removed from the room after shouting, “He lies!”

Yet Mr. Kennedy is working to overcome claims he is ill-prepared for the role given his track record of skepticism around vaccines. Mr. Kennedy said he got his children vaccinated. Yet his work with a major anti-vaccine group is a major sticking for potential GOP holdouts and fueling Democratic opposition to his nomination.

“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 work to sow doubt and discourage parents from getting their kids life-saving vaccines,” said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the senior Democrat on the committee.

Mr. Wyden said Mr. Kennedy enriched himself through his vaccine skepticism and has no experience with major insurance programs.

“He should not be entrusted with the health and well-being of the American people,” Mr. Wyden said.

Mr. Kennedy enjoys broad appeal in other areas, including his commitment to breaking up the revolving door between the pharmaceutical companies and government agencies that regulate them. His push to rid food or harmful additives has bipartisan appeal, alongside his desire to address underlying sources of diseases instead of spending billions to treat symptoms.

Mr. Kennedy said that support includes “MAHA moms” who are thankful for his focus on things like healthy diets and preventing disease.

The nominee, the son of late U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, also worked for years on environmental issues that appeal to liberals.

Mr. Kennedy ran for president as a Democrat and then switched to an independent in the 2024 race before dropping out and backing Mr. Trump, who repaid his support with the high-profile nomination.

Mr. Kennedy is one of a handful of polarizing picks from Mr. Trump. His defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, got confirmed with a tie-breaking vote. His pick for director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, also faces a tough confirmation fight.

Members of Mr. Kennedy’s family have opposed his nomination. His cousin, Caroline Kennedy, sent a letter to the Senate denouncing Mr. Kennedy as a “predator” who is addicted to power and persuaded parents not to vaccinate their children, even though he got his kids immunized.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will hold a courtesy hearing on Mr. Kennedy’s qualifications Thursday, though the finance panel is the one that will vote on whether to advance the nomination.