Secretary of Health and Human Services Confirmation Hearings

On January 29, and January 30, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the son of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, will testify in front of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee and the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee in order to secure their votes to confirm him for secretary of Health and Human Services.

These hearings are expected to be contentious due to the public health views Kennedy has championed over the course of his career. The Democratic members are concerned about his many statements and actions to stop vaccinations from being mandated in schools due to his belief that they are dangerous. Democratic members also find his belief that fluoride in the water supply is harmful to children to be troubling. Some Republican members find his many years of espousing pro-choice views on abortion to be problematic.

The Academy will monitor the hearings to assess Kennedy’s vision for the Department of Health and Human Services and determine what questions from the committee’s senators can tell us about their views and priorities.