Washington — The Senate Finance Committee advanced Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination Tuesday, moving forward with his confirmation to lead the Department of Health and Human Services after a pair of fiery hearings last week that left his approval on shaky ground.
The committee voted 14 to 13 to advance Kennedy in a party-line vote.
Though the bulk of Republicans on the committee were expected to support advancing Kennedy’s nomination, Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican and medical doctor, expressed concern over the president’s pick for HHS secretary during RFK Jr.’s confirmation hearings.
Cassidy said last week that he had been “struggling” with Kennedy’s nomination because he fears RFK Jr., who has raised doubts about vaccines in the past, could undermine faith in vaccines. Cassidy spoke to Kennedy on Sunday, according to a person familiar with their conversation, though the Louisiana senator did not disclose how he planned to vote following their conversation.
But Cassidy, who is up for reelection in 2026, ultimately opted to support advancing Kennedy’s nomination on Tuesday.
Moments ahead of the vote, Cassidy announced that he would support Kennedy in a post on X, saying he had “very intense conversations with Bobby and the White House over the weekend and even this morning,” while thanking Vice President JD Vance 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,” Cassidy said.
Kennedy appeared before the finance committee for a confirmation hearing last week, before testifying to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions the following day. During both appearances, Democrats on the committees — and even some Republicans — grilled the longtime environmental lawyer and activist on his stances on vaccines, abortion, and other issues.
President Trump’s pick for HHS secretary has faced scrutiny from Democrats and Republicans, alike. Though Kennedy, 71, initially sought the Democratic presidential nomination and has close ties to the party as the nephew of President John F. Kennedy and the son of Robert F. Kennedy, he dropped out of the presidential race to endorse Mr. Trump in August, and has long been the recipient of the Democratic establishment’s ire.
Amid the pushback, some had looked to possible support from Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent. But Sanders said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” Sunday that he was “not particularly happy” with Kennedy’s presentation before the Senate committees last week.
Without support from Democrats on the committee, which has a one-member GOP advantage, Cassidy’s opposition threatened to tank a favorable recommendation for advancing Kennedy’s nomination.
Meanwhile, two Democrats on the committee, Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the ranking member, and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, raised alarm about possible conflicts of interest in recent days, penning a letter to Kennedy concerning his potential to profit from vaccine-related litigation. Paired with his long-held stances on vaccine safety, the senators said the possible conflicts give them “grave concern” about his ability to serve as HHS secretary.
Kennedy has earned referral fees from a Los Angeles personal injury law firm, Wisner Baum, for years. The firm is currently suing Merck concerning warnings about the safety of the HPV vaccine. Kennedy agreed to divest his interests in the cases he has referred to Wisner Baum to a “non-dependent, adult family member.” The senators noted in their letter that Kennedy in his written response to committee questions indicated he was divesting the interest to one of his adult sons — a detail which they called “troubling.”
“The arrangement outlined in your Ethics Agreement Amendment is plainly inadequate, as it would appear to allow an immediate family member to benefit financially from your position as Secretary,” the senators wrote, adding that “vaccine-related decisions” that Kennedy could make as HHS secretary “could result in significant financial compensation for your family.”
The Democrats also asked Kennedy to commit in writing to recuse himself from all vaccine-related communications and decisions and pledge not to litigate cases involving vaccines or have a financial interest in the cases for at least four years after leaving office. Kennedy said during Wednesday’s hearing that he would “comply with all the ethical guidelines.”
With the advancement out of committee, the fight over Kennedy’s confirmation will move to the Senate floor, where his approval isn’t guaranteed. Republicans can afford to lose just three votes to confirm him without support from across the aisle, with Vice President J.D. Vance serving as a tie-breaker.
The developments come as Senate Republicans have pushed to quickly confirm Mr. Trump’s nominees to his Cabinet and top administration posts, with appointees like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sailing to confirmation, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth eked by with a 51-50 vote on his confirmation.
The president decried pushback from Democrats regarding his nominees in a post on Truth Social Sunday, saying “no matter how good and well qualified someone is, they are taking maximum time for approval — and laughing about it.”
“Republicans must GET TOUGH — AND MUST GET TOUGH VERY FAST,” Trump said. “We need our Nominees NOW, for the Safety and Good of our Country!”
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rfk-nomination-nomination-vote-senate-committee/
