{"id":2402274,"date":"2025-02-13T12:00:01","date_gmt":"2025-02-13T17:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rfk-jr-confirmed-as-health-secretary\/"},"modified":"2025-02-13T12:01:24","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T17:01:24","slug":"rfk-jr-confirmed-as-health-secretary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rfk-jr-confirmed-as-health-secretary\/","title":{"rendered":"RFK Jr. Confirmed As Health Secretary"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">12<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frfk-jr-confirmed-as-health-secretary%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2402274&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Senators recently confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/keith-ellison-moves-to-shield-records-on-controversial-legal-scheme\/\" title=\"Keith Ellison Moves To Shield Records on Controversial Legal Scheme\">environmental lawyer<\/a>, as the new Secretary of Health \u2063and Human Services (HHS)\u2063 with a \u200cvote of 52 to 48. His nomination was contentious, largely \u200ddue to his past statements on vaccines \u200dand abortion, \u2063but Kennedy managed to alleviate \u200cconcerns from lawmakers \u2064during two Senate hearings. During these sessions, he affirmed his\u2064 support for vaccines, stating he would not impede access to them as HHS \u2064secretary.He also addressed concerns \u200bfrom Republicans by recommitting to uphold former president Trump&#8217;s abortion\u2063 policies, expressing that he believes &#8220;every abortion is a tragedy&#8221; and that it should \u2064primarily be an issue for individual states. \u200dThis stance sparked backlash from\u200b Democrats, with some accusing him of betraying his previous beliefs\u2063 on bodily autonomy. Additionally,Kennedy \u2063criticized Congress\u2063 for its\u2063 ties to the pharmaceutical industry,suggesting that conflicts of\u200d interest affected lawmakers&#8217; inquiries during the confirmation process. Despite the divisions and criticisms, he is now the highest-ranking Kennedy in federal office since\u200d his father\u2019s tenure as attorney general.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Senators confirmed environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary after the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">controversial nominee successfully eased lawmakers&#038;rsquo<\/a>; concerns over previous views on abortion and vaccines. <\/p>\n<p>The upper chamber voted 52 to 48 for confirmation of the new HHS secretary, who previously battled a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/livecoverage\/trump-cabinet-confirmation-hearings\/card\/rfk-jr-i-was-a-heroin-addict-for-14-years--RbOW9tg2ogvvHdbqJjfK\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">14-year<\/a> heroin addiction and is now the highest-ranking Kennedy in the federal government since his father was attorney general.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the sparring on Capitol Hill from Democrats and some Republicans who claimed Kennedy would do otherwise, Kennedy sailed to confirmation with just one GOP defection &mdash; former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.<\/p>\n<p>Kennedy triumphed after two separate hours-long Senate hearings last month before the <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/01\/29\/dem-senators-side-with-big-pharma-over-kennedys-bipartisan-maha-message\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Finance Committee<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/01\/30\/6-highlights-from-rfk-jr-s-second-senate-hearing-for-hhs-secretary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee<\/a>. Democrats grilled the incoming HHS secretary on his prior criticism of vaccines, while Republicans sought reassurances he would embrace Trump&rsquo;s first term approach to abortion.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine,&rdquo; Kennedy said plainly in his first hearing. &ldquo;I will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking either of those vaccines.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<blockquote data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<div lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<p>RFK Jr. pledges support for vaccines in confrontational exchange with Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking either of those.&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qRx30F4Xtg\">pic.twitter.com\/qRx30F4Xtg<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&mdash; Tristan Justice (@JusticeTristan) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JusticeTristan\/status\/1884629571330363712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 29, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Kennedy also mitigated concerns among Republicans about the former Democrat&rsquo;s recent endorsement for abortion on-demand and <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/townhallcom\/status\/1884636513775779985\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recommitted&nbsp;<\/a>to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/12\/19\/hhs-nominee-rfk-jr-pledges-to-reinstate-pro-life-protections-that-defined-trumps-first-term\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">implementing<\/a>&nbsp;Trump&rsquo;s first-term agenda on the issue. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I agree with him that we cannot be a moral nation if we have 1.2 million abortions a year.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Kennedy said he was aligned with the president that abortion was a state&rsquo;s issue and that it should be banned for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rfk-jr-walks-back-stance-on-full-term-abortion\/\" title=\"RFK Jr. revises position on late-term ...\">late-term pregnancies<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I serve at the pleasure of the president. I&rsquo;m going to implement his policies,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<blockquote data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">BREAKING: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. &ldquo;I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy. I agree with him that we cannot be a moral nation if we have 1.2 million abortions a year.&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/wZK3cb03Qo\">pic.twitter.com\/wZK3cb03Qo<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Leading Report (@LeadingReport) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LeadingReport\/status\/1884636568008130658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 29, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Kennedy said he would also investigate the safety of mifepristone and carry out the president&rsquo;s demand on how to regulate the abortion drug when the decision is made. <\/p>\n<p>A group backed by former Vice President Mike Pence, Advancing American Freedom, targeted Kennedy&rsquo;s previous support for Democrats&rsquo; platform on abortion to convince conservative lawmakers to turn down the nomination. The group, however, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/03\/03\/politics\/dark-money-searle-foundation-invs\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">according to CNN<\/a>, has also received a six-figure donation from a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dem-senators-side-with-big-pharma-over-rfk-jr-s-maha-agenda\/\" title=\"Dem ...s Side With Big Pharma Over RFK Jr.&#039;s MAHA Agenda\">pharma-funded foundation&#038;nbsp<\/a>;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.encyclopedia.com\/books\/politics-and-business-magazines\/g-d-searle-company#:~:text=Searle%27s%20best%2Dknown%20products,most%20notably%20NutraSweet%20brand%20sweetener.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">built<\/a>&nbsp;on an empire of sugar substitutes and birth control pills.<\/p>\n<p>Kennedy&rsquo;s realignment on abortion, however, outraged Democrats. <\/p>\n<p>Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., accused Kennedy of being a &ldquo;sellout.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;You have clearly stated in the past that bodily autonomy is one of your core values,&rdquo; Hassan said. &ldquo;Do you stand for that value or not?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Senator, I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>Kennedy went on the offensive during his second day of hearings in a fiery exchange with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The problem of corruption is not just in the federal agencies, it&rsquo;s in Congress too,&rdquo; Kennedy said. &ldquo;Almost all the members of this panel, including yourself, are accepting millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical industry and protecting their interests.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<blockquote data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<div lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<p>RFK JR: Almost all of the members of this panel including yourself are accepting millions from the pharmaceutical industry<\/p>\n<p>Sanders: Nooo. I ran for president like you. I got millions of contributions. They didn&rsquo;t come from executives. Not one nickel from the pharmaceutical&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8zzJIGuSuU\">pic.twitter.com\/8zzJIGuSuU<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&mdash; Acyn (@Acyn) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Acyn\/status\/1885024985367867484?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 30, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>A&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/01\/28\/senators-whove-raked-in-millions-from-big-pharma-to-question-rfk-jr-in-double-hearings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Federalist analysis<\/a>&nbsp;of industry donations&nbsp;compiled by OpenSecrets found senators across both committees have raked in more than $10 million from the pharmaceutical industry between 2019 and 2024.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Tristan Justice is a national correspondent for The Federalist and the co-author of &#8220;Fat and Unhappy: How &#8216;Body Positivity&#8217; Is Killing Us (and How to Save Yourself).&#8221; He has also written for The Washington Examiner and The Daily Signal. His work has also been featured in Real Clear Politics and Fox News. Tristan graduated from George Washington University where he majored in political science and minored in journalism. Follow him on Twitter at @JusticeTristan or contact him at Tristan@thefederalist.com. Sign up for Tristan&#8217;s email newsletter <a href=\"https:\/\/socialjusticeredux.substack.com\/about\">here<\/a>. Buy &#8220;Fat and Unhappy&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/sz7EDAJI1c\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Senators confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as HHS secretary, easing concerns on abortion and vaccines<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":494,"featured_media":2402275,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/RFK-Jr.-3-e1739463594729.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[32502,33639,5894,32068,32458],"class_list":["post-2402274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-biden-administration","tag-health-secretary","tag-politics","tag-public-health","tag-rfk-jr"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/RFK-Jr.-3-e1739463594729.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2402274","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/494"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2402274"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2402274\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2402278,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2402274\/revisions\/2402278"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2402275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2402274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2402274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2402274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}