Robert F. Kennedy Jr. can be in search of to ease any skepticism over his affirmation this week as he begins conferences with Senate Republicans over his nomination to guide the Division of Well being and Human Providers (HHS).
Kennedy is among the many highest-profile names that Trump has rolled out for his Cupboard, which has additionally featured battles surrounding Pete Hegseth’s nomination to guide the Pentagon, and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s (Hawaii) choice to guide a key intelligence workplace.
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Trump’s preliminary decide for legal professional normal, withdrew from consideration amid GOP discontent.
Whereas Kennedy was thought-about one of the crucial controversial decisions initially, there was little public criticism from Senate Republicans. GOP sources consider he’s in stable form total and has a much less rocky path to affirmation than Hegseth and Gabbard.
“He’s in a great spot. You haven’t actually heard a lot consternation about his nomination in any respect in current weeks,” one Senate GOP aide instructed The Hill, including they count on Kennedy’s focus to be on his “Make America Wholesome Once more” (MAHA) priorities and assuaging Republicans that he doesn’t nonetheless help abortion.
“If that seems to be true, I believe he’ll be on a glide path to being confirmed,” the aide added.
Kennedy’s deliberate conferences embrace one with GOP well being employees on the Well being, Training Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, in keeping with a supply acquainted. It’s a customary precursor to his assembly with the panel’s incoming chair, Sen. Invoice Cassidy (R-La.).
Cassidy, one in all three GOP senators who voted to convict Trump on an impeachment cost, has stated little publicly about Kennedy when requested, solely that he desires to let the affirmation course of play out. When Kennedy was nominated, Cassidy in a press release famous he “has championed points like wholesome meals and the necessity for better transparency in our public well being infrastructure.”
Opposition to Kennedy facilities totally on his coverage stances, a lot of which run counter to conventional GOP orthodoxy. He has a protracted historical past of questioning vaccines and has promoted the debunked concept that vaccines trigger autism.
Kennedy argues the rise of persistent illnesses in America might be traced to ultra-processed meals, environmental toxins and chemical components. He desires to ban fluoridated water and enhance entry to uncooked milk.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) stated he desires to speak to Kennedy about genetically modified meals, a key subject for farmers.
“You may’t feed 9 billion folks on the face of this earth if you happen to do not benefit from genetic engineering,” stated Grassley.
Through the presidential marketing campaign, Kennedy stated he desires to remove genetically modified crops and pesticides.
Grassley, who represents corn-rich Iowa, may have discussions with Kennedy over high-fructose corn syrup, a product in widespread use in America’s meals sector that has been criticized as a consider weight problems.
“I could have to spend so much of time educating him about agriculture,” Grassley stated of Kennedy final month, in keeping with The New York Occasions.
Quite a few Republicans even have questions for Kennedy about his pro-abortion stance and the way that will have an effect on how he runs HHS.
“I’m going to need to speak concerning the life points,” stated Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) “The primary HHS beneath President Trump was very intentional in that space. President Biden was very intentional in increasing entry to abortion by way of federal companies, so [the question is] what’s their plan? What are they selecting to do on that?
“I believe will probably be necessary to have the ability to hear,” he added.
When he launched his presidential marketing campaign as a Democrat, Kennedy endorsed a ban on abortion after the primary trimester however then shortly backtracked. He additionally prompt he opposed banning abortion earlier than fetal viability, usually round 24 weeks right into a being pregnant.
On his marketing campaign web site, Kennedy says he’s “a agency supporter of the ideas laid out 50 years in the past in Roe v. Wade” and that “if the courts don’t overturn Dobbs v. Jackson and restore abortion rights, he’ll help laws to perform the identical.”
Republicans may have a 53-47 seat majority subsequent 12 months, so Kennedy may have a small cushion ought to he encounter GOP opposition. But it surely stays to be seen whether or not any Democrats ultimately vote to substantiate him.
Regardless of their considerations with the previous presidential candidate, a few of Kennedy’s views on meals coverage and vitamin carefully align with Democrats.
“Our meals, vitamin connections, just like the SNAP program. Among the worst, unhealthiest meals are the best consumed,” stated Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.). “I believe there’s frequent floor [there]. I’m undecided I need to break all of it aside and destroy it, however I positively can see that reform is acceptable.”
Throughout a current HELP Committee listening to, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and others grilled Meals and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf over the company’s lax regulation of ultra-processed meals, which is a key a part of Kennedy’s well being agenda.
“For many years, Congress and the FDA have allowed giant companies to make enormous income by engaging youngsters and adults to eat ultra-processed meals and drinks loaded up with sugar, salt and saturated fats,” Sanders stated.
However whereas a number of Senate Democrats indicated they’re greater than prepared to sit down down with Kennedy in deference to the affirmation course of, no one supplied a lot reward.
“Yeah, after all,” Hickenlooper stated when requested if he hopes to fulfill with Kennedy.
“To make it clear, I’d be glad to fulfill with him,” stated Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Wyden, who’s the chair of the Finance Committee, added not one of the different Democrats on the committee has requested to debate Kennedy. The Finance Committee will maintain a listening to and vote on Kennedy’s affirmation subsequent 12 months with a brand new GOP majority.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) stated that he’s “very open” to assembly with Kennedy, however he famous it seemingly received’t be subsequent week because the Senate’s extra urgent enterprise, together with the Nationwide Protection Authorization Act and a stopgap spending bundle, is ready to be handled earlier than the Christmas recess.
“I’m going to must dig into it to know,” Kaine stated of potential frequent floor between them. “I imply, I’ve some considerations about a few of his positions on vaccines and others. Is it an ideological factor, or is he science primarily based? However that’s extra normal.”
Different Democrats had been much less charitable.
“He looks like a ridiculous decide to me,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) stated. “It was a payoff, pure and easy. He wasn’t picked as a result of he’s certified. He was picked as a result of Donald Trump wished his help for president and gave him something he wished.”
