The Senate Finance Committee voted to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to be secretary of Health and Human Services to the full Senate.
The committee voted 14-13 along party lines to confirm Kennedy after a hearing that at times turned contentious as many senators asked Kennedy about his record promoting the discredited link between vaccines and autism.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana and physician, said before the hearing that he would vote to confirm Kennedy. During his second hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Cassidy, the committee chairman, repeatedly grilled Kennedy about his claims about vaccines and autism.
Cassidy, one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump for his actions on January 6, faces a difficult re-election and a right-wing primary challenge from Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming.
Trump himself has also regularly promoted the link between vaccines and autism. Right before the vote, Trump posted about the false link between vaccines and autism on Truth Social.
“20 years ago, Autism in children was 1 in 10,000,” Trump posted. “NOW IT’S 1 in 34. WOW! Something’s really wrong. We need BOBBY!!! Thank You!”
Autism diagnoses largely spiked after The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders expanded the diagnostic criteria for autism as it had previously been considered a symptom of schizophrenia. The passage of the 1990 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act led to schools having to report the number of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) it had to report. Andrew Wakefield, the former British physician who released the initial study linking autism and the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine, lost his medical license.
After the vote, Sen. Ron Wyden, the top Demcorat on the Senate Finance Committee, said that Senate Democrats would fight tooth and nail against Kennedy.
“We are going to keep fighting for every possible vote on the floor,” he told reporters. “I will just tell you this is the most unqualified nominee I have encountered in my more than 40 years in public service.”
Kennedy’s vote comes as the Senate holds committee votes on some of President Donald Trump’s most contentious nominees. The Senate Intelligence Committee will also vote on Tuesday whether to advance former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to be director of National Intelligence.
That confirmation seemed more likely on Monday evening when Sen. Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee who had numerous outstanding concerns about Gabbard, announced she would vote to confirm her.
