Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will likely 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 Companies (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 of one of the controversial selections initially, there was little public criticism from Senate Republicans. GOP sources imagine he’s in strong form total and has a much less rocky path to affirmation than Hegseth and Gabbard.
“He’s in a good spot. You haven’t really heard much consternation about his nomination at all in recent weeks,” one Senate GOP aide instructed The Hill, including they count on Kennedy’s focus to be on his “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) priorities and assuaging Republicans that he doesn’t nonetheless assist abortion.
“If that turns out to be true, I think he’ll be on a glide path to being confirmed,” the aide added.
Kennedy’s deliberate conferences embody one with GOP well being employees on the Well being, Training Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, in response to a supply acquainted. It’s a customary precursor to his assembly with the panel’s incoming chair, Sen. Invoice Cassidy (R-La.).
Cassidy, one among three GOP senators who voted to convict Trump on an impeachment cost, has mentioned little publicly about Kennedy when requested, solely that he desires to let the affirmation course of play out. When Kennedy was nominated, Cassidy in an announcement famous he “has championed issues like healthy foods and the need for greater transparency in our public health infrastructure.”
Opposition to Kennedy facilities totally on his coverage stances, lots of which run counter to conventional GOP orthodoxy. He has an extended historical past of questioning vaccines and has promoted the debunked concept that vaccines trigger autism.
Kennedy argues the rise of power illnesses in America may be traced to ultra-processed meals, environmental toxins and chemical components. He desires to ban fluoridated water and improve entry to uncooked milk.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) mentioned he desires to speak to Kennedy about genetically modified meals, a key difficulty for farmers.
“You can’t feed 9 billion people on the face of this earth if you don’t take advantage of genetic engineering,” mentioned Grassley.
Through the presidential marketing campaign, Kennedy mentioned 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 think about weight problems.
“I may have to spend a lot of time educating him about agriculture,” Grassley mentioned of Kennedy final month, in response to The New York Occasions.
Quite a few Republicans even have questions for Kennedy about his pro-abortion stance and the way that might have an effect on how he runs HHS.
“I’m going to want to talk about the life issues,” mentioned Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) “The primary HHS below President Trump was very intentional in that space. President Biden was very intentional in increasing entry to abortion by means of federal companies, so [the question is] what’s their plan? What are they selecting to do on that?
“I think it will be important to be able 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, typically round 24 weeks right into a being pregnant.
On his marketing campaign web site, Kennedy says he’s “a firm supporter of the principles laid out 50 years ago in Roe v. Wade” and that “if the courts do not overturn Dobbs v. Jackson and restore abortion rights, he will support legislation to accomplish the same.”
Republicans may have a 53-47 seat majority subsequent yr, 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 finally vote to substantiate him.
Regardless of their considerations with the previous presidential candidate, a few of Kennedy’s views on meals coverage and diet intently align with Democrats.
“Our food, nutrition connections, like the SNAP program. Some of the worst, unhealthiest foods are the highest consumed,” mentioned Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.). “I think there’s common ground [there]. I’m not sure I want to break it all apart and destroy it, but I definitely can see that reform is appropriate.”
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 decades, Congress and the FDA have allowed large corporations to make huge profits by enticing children and adults to consume ultra-processed food and beverages loaded up with sugar, salt and saturated fat,” Sanders mentioned.
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 person supplied a lot reward.
“Yeah, of course,” Hickenlooper mentioned when requested if he hopes to satisfy with Kennedy.
“To make it clear, I would be glad to meet with him,” mentioned 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 yr with a brand new GOP majority.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) mentioned that he’s “very open” to assembly with Kennedy, however he famous it possible 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 have to dig into it to know,” Kaine mentioned of attainable frequent floor between them. “I mean, I have some concerns about some of his positions on vaccines and others. Is it an ideological thing, or is he science based? But that’s more general.”
Different Democrats had been much less charitable.
“He seems like a ridiculous pick to me,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) mentioned. “It was a payoff, pure and simple. He wasn’t picked because he’s qualified. He was picked because Donald Trump wanted his support for president and gave him anything he wanted.”
