What to know about HHS and how RFK Jr. could lead it
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a campaign rally for Donald Trump on Nov. 1 in Warren, Michigan. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could radically reshape the Department of Health and Human Services if he is confirmed as secretary of the agency under President-elect Trump.
Why it matters: The onetime independent presidential candidate has been one of the country's most prominent vaccine skeptics for years, alarming public health experts about his nomination to lead to HHS.
- His appointment to HHS would also come 16 years after he was considered for a cabinet appointment by former President Obama. Obama had weighed appointing Kennedy — then an environmental lawyer — to the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- Kennedy's views range from cracking down on food additives to conspiracy-tinged ideas about fluoride in water.
State of play: Kennedy's nomination to HHS Thursday came after weeks of speculation over what role he would play in the incoming administration.
- Trump promised in October he'd let Kennedy — who endorsed him after dropping his own presidential bid — "go wild" on federal oversight of food and medicine.
- Experts have warned that he could help erode key parts of the health care system and lead to an increase in preventable disease.
Between the lines: Kennedy's selection has divided Republicans on Capitol Hill, though some in the GOP remain optimistic Kennedy will secure the requisite number of votes to be confirmed by the Senate.
What is the HHS?
The Department of Health and Human Services is a nearly $2 trillion agency is in charge of dispensing nearly 25% of the federal budget and employs more than 80,000 federal workers.
- HHS encompasses other departments that approve new medications, conduct infectious disease research and contribute to other public health services.
- It includes departments whose work touch on immigration, child support and adults with disabilities.
- HHS also processes Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, allowing journalists and other members of the public to request records from the federal government.
What departments fall under HHS?
HHS encompasses 13 operating divisions. Americans may be familiar with the FDA, CDC and NIH — particularly after the COVID pandemic — but other lesser known divisions can still impact their everyday lives.
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is tasked with regulating new drugs and medical devices, approves new vaccines, and ensures the safety of the food supply. After the 2022 Dobbs decision, the FDA has also helped make medication abortion more accessible.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) helps respond to infectious disease outbreaks like the bird flu and the COVID-19 pandemic. It also tracks food-borne illnesses like E. coli and listeria.
- The Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) overseas health insurance programs that benefit millions of Americans nationwide.
- The Office of Refugee Resettlement helps support refugees, unaccompanied minors and asylum seekers who are in the U.S.
- The National Institutes of Health oversees vaccine and other biomedical research, like cancer research. It includes the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) which was headed by Anthony Fauci during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Administration for Children and Families helps fund foster care and Head Start child care programs across the country.
What could Kennedy's appointment mean for Americans?
As head of a large and influential agency, Kennedy could begin implementing some elements of his "Make America Healthy Again" agenda.
- Kennedy has previously outlined plans to clear out entire departments from health care agencies, such as the FDA's nutrition department, in a bid to root out unspecified "corruption."
- He also said he would advise water districts against using fluoride, a mineral that occurs naturally in water but is often added to the water supply to help prevent tooth decay.
- He has also expressed interest in pausing drug development and infectious disease research at NIH for eight years, in favor of studying chronic disease.
Zoom in: Kennedy has repeatedly denied that he is anti-vaccine and said he won't take away any vaccines from Americans. But he's continued to promote unbacked claims about vaccines causing various illnesses.
- He is also a proponent of drinking raw, unpasteurized milk, which both the FDA and CDC warn come with serious health risks. As the head of HHS, Kennedy would be able to initiate the roll back of the FDA's raw milk regulations.
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