Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
HHS Secretary-designate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced another tough round of questioning Thursday at a confirmation hearing before the Senate HELP Committee, with Chair Bill Cassidy drilling down on his past criticisms of vaccines and distrust of scientific evidence.
Why it matters: It was Kennedy's last chance to make a case for himself before the Finance Committee votes on whether to advance his nomination to the floor as soon as next week.
Friction point: Cassidy, a physician who is a closely watched vote, started out on a skeptical note, telling Kennedy that "it's no secret I have some reservations on your past positions about vaccines and some other issues."
- "You have once described yourself as pro-vaccine to me.… If you are approved to this position, will you reassure mothers unequivocally and without qualification that the measles and hepatitis B vaccines do not cause autism?" Cassidy asked.
- "If you show me data, I will be the first person to ensure the American people that they need to take those vaccines," Kennedy replied. "I just want to pledge to you, that I will never stick on a point if somebody shows me data that says I'm wrong."
Kennedy tried to make similar assurances to other senators on the panel when asked about treatments like the HPV vaccine, repeating that if they "show me the studies" he would not curtail access to these treatments. That vaccine has been found to be safe and effective.
- By the end of the hearing, Cassidy appeared unconvinced, telling Kennedy, "I have been struggling with your nomination."
Between the lines: Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, two other closely watched votes, reiterated their concerns about Kennedy's views on vaccines.
- "We can't be going backwards on our vaccinations," Murkowski said. "I am asking you on the issue of vaccines, specifically, to please convey with a level of authority and science, but also with a level of conviction and free of conflict and free of political bias, that these are measures that we should be proud of as a country."
- Collins asked the nominee if he would support herd immunity measures and the polio vaccine.
The other side: HELP Ranking Member Bernie Sanders, meanwhile, continued fiery denunciations from yesterday's Finance Committee hearing with Kennedy, grilling him about whether he thought the COVID vaccine saved lives.
- Kennedy answered that he didn't know, since "we don't have a good surveillance system."
- "You're applying for the job. Clearly you should know this," responded Sanders. Sanders also asked about Republicans considering cuts to Medicaid and whether Kennedy would resist such a policy.
- Kennedy responded that he "hadn't seen any of the congressional proposals."
Zoom in: In his Finance Committee hearing Wednesday, Kennedy seemed unclear on key differences between Medicare and Medicaid, and he continued to display unfamiliarity with the programs Thursday.
- Sen. Maggie Hassan asked Kennedy to describe Medicare Parts A, B and C.
- Kennedy appeared to stumble again with the details, describing Part A, as "mainly for primary care or physicians" and Part C as the "full menu of all the services."
The bottom line: Only Finance votes on whether to advance the nomination, but the HELP hearing gave Kennedy face time with Republican senators who hold the key to his nomination, since four GOP defections would sink his nomination, assuming Democrats are united in opposition.
- Murkowski, Collins and Mitch McConnell showed their willingness to go against the grain by voting against Pete Hegseth on the floor, who still then got confirmed as Defense Secretary, with Vice President Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.
- It's still unclear whether those three and Cassidy could yet ally against Kennedy.
