Sen. Invoice Cassidy (R-La.), the brand new Senate Well being, Training, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee chair, didn’t instantly endorse Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Trump’s decide to be Well being and Human Companies secretary, after assembly with him Wednesday.
Cassidy wrote on the social media web site X that he and Kennedy had a “frank conversation” and spoke about vaccines “at length.”
After the assembly, Cassidy briefly informed reporters they spoke about “each permutation of vaccines” however declined to elaborate additional after the almost hourlong assembly.
Cassidy, a doctor, mentioned in an interview on “Fox News Sunday” that he thinks Kennedy is “wrong” about vaccines, however famous there are areas he and Kennedy agree on, like eliminating ultra-processed meals.
Kennedy has an extended historical past of advocating towards vaccines and has promoted the debunked concept that vaccines trigger autism.
Kennedy has mentioned he doesn’t wish to take vaccines away from anybody and simply needs to make extra security and efficacy information accessible to the general public.
Kennedy is on Capitol Hill this week for his second spherical of conferences with senators, together with some Democrats on the HELP Committee, which has jurisdiction over HHS.
Cassidy’s feedback have been far more tepid in comparison with a number of the enthusiastic responses Kennedy acquired from different Senate Republicans final month, together with from staunch conservatives who’re each shut Trump allies and probably to object to Kennedy’s earlier pro-abortion stance.
However after assembly with the previous Democratic presidential candidate, they expressed no reservations.
Kennedy mentioned solely that their assembly was “good.”
Cassidy is one in every of a number of GOP lawmakers being focused by advocacy teams against Kennedy. If each Democrat opposes him, Kennedy can solely afford to lose three GOP votes.
Except for Cassidy, Kennedy on Wednesday additionally met with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the HELP Committee rating member, and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).
Sanders and Hassan sit on the Senate Finance Committee. The HELP Committee will maintain a listening to for Kennedy, however the precise affirmation listening to and vote will happen within the Finance Committee.
The listening to is more likely to be scheduled quickly.
Leaving the assembly with Sanders, Kennedy mentioned he “couldn’t say” whether or not Sanders would help him.
When requested if he and Sanders might work collectively to chop prescription drug costs, Kennedy mentioned, “I think everyone wants to cut prescription drug prices.”
