Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed as HHS secretary, capping contentious fight over vaccine skeptics nomination

WASHINGTON — Robert F.Kennedy Jr.

was confirmed by the Senate as President Trump’s secretary of Health and Human Services on Thursday, capping a contentious fight over his skepticism on vaccines that had divided Republicans.Senators voted 52-48 to place Kennedy, 71, atop the nation’s health bureaucracy with oversight of a budget of roughly $1.7 trillion.Sen.Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) opposed Kennedy’s confirmation, along with every Democrat.RFK Jr., a longtime environmental lawyer and vaccine skeptic had received assurances this week from Sens.

Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) that they would back him, easing the path to Trump’s cabinet.“I continue to have concerns about Mr.Kennedy’s views on vaccines and his selective interpretation of scientific studies, which initially caused my misgivings about his nomination,” Murkowski said Wednesday.“Vaccines have saved millions of lives, and I sought assurance that, as HHS Secretary, he would do nothing to make it difficult for people to take vaccines or discourage vaccination efforts.“He has made numerous commitments to me and my colleagues, promising to work with Congress to ensure public access to information and to base vaccine recommendations on data-driven, evidence-based, and medically sound research,” she added.“These commitments are important to me and, on balance, provide assurance for my vote.”Sen.

Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee that vetted RFK Jr., had also thrown his weight behind Trump’s HHS nom after receiving a commitment that the two would meet regularly and that Kennedy would tout the importance of immunizations.The son of the late attorney general and senator from New York had spent years disparaging the safety and efficacy of vaccines for polio, measles and hepatitis B, writing several books on the subject and founding the nonprofit Children’s Health Defense, which has sued the government and ph...