RFK Jr. passes key Senate panel vote to advance health secretary nomination

(WASHINGTON) — The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday voted to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services under President Donald Trump.

The panel voted along party lines, 14-13.

It was a high-stakes vote for Kennedy, as with the committee’s makeup it would have taken just one Republican to oppose him for his nomination to be potentially sunk.

All eyes were on Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican and longtime physician who, during last week’s hearings, expressed deep concerns about the impact of Kennedy’s past comments casting doubt on vaccines, including saying on a 2023 podcast that “no vaccine is safe and effective.

Cassidy told Kennedy he was “struggling” with his nomination as those proceedings came to a close. The two spoke more over the weekend and on Tuesday morning, Cassidy said.

Cassidy voted on Tuesday to move forward with Kennedy’s nomination.

“I’ve had very intense conversations with Bobby and the White House over the weekend and even this morning,” Cassidy said in a statement posted to X earlier Tuesday, explaining his vote. “I want to thank VP JD specifically for his honest counsel. With the serious commitments I’ve received from the administration and the opportunity to make progress on the issues we agree on like healthy foods and a pro-American agenda, I will vote yes.”

Later, in remarks on the Senate floor, Cassidy spoke about what Kennedy assured him during those conversations.

“Mr. Kennedy and the administration reached out seeking to reassure me regarding their commitment to protecting the public health benefit of vaccination. To this end, Mr. Kennedy and the administration committed that he and I would have an unprecedentedly close collaborative working relationship if he is confirmed,” Cassidy said.

Cassidy said he will meet or speak with Kennedy multiple times a month, and will consult on hiring decisions at HHS.

The senator added that Kennedy also pledged to keep the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations “without changes” and the CDC “will not remove statements on their website pointing out that vaccines do not cause autism.”

President Trump said on Monday he’s called senators who have concerns about Kennedy. Vice President JD Vance had also been quietly lobbying senators to line up behind Kennedy, ABC News previously reported.

Kennedy’s nomination will next head to the floor for consideration before the full Senate. A final vote could occur this week or early next week.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that they expect “all Senate Republicans to stand tough and strong” and vote to confirm Kennedy to Trump’s Cabinet.

“Make America Healthy Again, that is a very popular slogan and it’s a very popular movement in this country. And there’s tens of millions of Americans who are hopeful that RFK Junior will be the next HHS secretary and we expect all Senate Republicans to stay on tough and strong and vote for him,” Leavitt said as she gaggled with reporters on Tuesday.

Questions have continued to swirl around Kennedy’s views on vaccines. He said several times during the hearings last Wednesday and Thursday that he supports vaccines and is not “anti-vaccine” but “pro-safety.”

However, Kennedy has openly questioned the widespread administration of both measles and polio vaccines, and has falsely linked the former vaccine to autism, despite several high-quality studies finding no such link.

He also pointed to a flawed paper to suggest there is evidence to claim that vaccines cause autism. Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate HELP Committe, said he saw problems with the paper’s methodology upon first look.

Kennedy also cast doubt on the lifesaving benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines, saying he doesn’t think that “anybody” can say the vaccines saved millions of lives.

A 2022 study from the Yale School of Public Health and University of Maryland Medical School estimated the vaccine saved 3 million lives and prevented 18 million hospitalizations.

Senators were also befuddled by comments Kennedy made in the past. Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado read aloud alleged past comments made by Kennedy, including unfounded claims about transgender children.

Kennedy denied making such comments despite repeated an unfounded conspiracy theory during an episode of his podcast in 2022, suggesting endocrine disruptors, including phthalates — which make chemicals more durable — and pesticides, can influence sexual orientation or gender identity.

ABC News’ Anne Flaherty and Will McDuffie contributed to this report.

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