Washington – Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is committed to “rendering America again in good health” as secretary to President Trump's health and social services, faced aggressive issues on Wednesday by senators who were disturbed by his vaccine skepticism, the adoption of demystified medical allegations, financial conflicts of interest and 11th hour changes medical.
Kennedy has depicted as a defender of ordinary people who feel overwhelmed by rooted interests.
“In my plea, I have often disturbed the status quo by asking uncomfortable questions,” said Brentwood resident. “Well, I'm not going to apologize for it.” We have massive health problems in this country to which we must face honestly, and the first thing I have done every morning for 20 years is to knee and pray to God to put an end to the epidemic of chronic illness and to help American children. “
He met difficult questions, especially on the part of the Democrats, but also of certain Republicans.
“The receipts show that Mr. Kennedy adopted conspiracy theories, charlatans and charlatans, in particular with regard to security, the effectiveness of vaccines,” said Oregon senator Ron Wyden, a democratic member of the Senate of Finance Committee in the minutes of the hearing.
“He has done his work of life to sow doubt and to discourage parents from obtaining vital rescue vaccines,” said Wyden. “It was lucrative for him and put him on the verge of immense power. It is the profile of someone who pursues money and influence wherever they lead, even if it means the tragic death of children and other vulnerable people. ”
In his testimony, Kennedy frequently contradicts his past posts, did not seem to fully grasp the details of the main health programs which he will be accused of running if he was confirmed and declared that the allegations that he is a conspiracy theorist was launched against him because of his desire to question conventional scientific wisdom.
“It is a pejorative … which applies to me mainly to prevent me from asking difficult questions to powerful interests,” said Kennedy, 71, son of the former Atty. General Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of former president John F. Kennedy.
Wednesday's hearing was the first of two of the senators to consider Kennedy's appointment to lead a federal bureaucracy of sprawling health with a budget of $ 1.8 billion and 90,000 employees. The Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health fall under the umbrella of the department. A voting committee on the opportunity to advance the appointment to the full Senate has not yet been planned, and its confirmation chances remain unclear.
Kennedy's wife, actor Cheryl Hines, and other family members sat behind him during the 3 and a half hour session. A few hundred people cluttered the room, mostly Kennedy supporters who wore t-shirts from his unless unless one successful submission in 2024 and “Make America Healthy Again”.
But there were adversaries, two of whom were ejected from the courtroom of the senatorial committee after interrupting the procedure. We shouted: “He is lying!” And the other agitated a sign that said “vaccines save lives”. The members of the crowd shouted: “We love you, Bobby!” As the latter was led by Capitol police.
Many questions from senators have concentrated on skepticism passed from vaccines by Kennedy. After having been rented as an environmental lawyer, Kennedy served for several years as the president of the defense of children's health, a non -profit organization which wrongly claims that infant vaccines cause autism.
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT.) Posted photos of organic Grenouillères sold by the group for $ 25.99 that read “UNVAXXED, Sans Feat” and “No Vax. No problem ”, then pressed Kennedy to disavow them.
Kennedy replied that he had no control over the organization, which he recently left. “I support vaccines,” he said.
Earlier, Kennedy argued that reports on his opinions on vaccines were misleading, noting that all his children had been vaccinated and said that he supported the childhood vaccination calendar.
“The only thing I want is a good science,” he said.
But his alleged role in a fatal epidemic of measles in the Samoa was frequently increased during the hearing.
The epidemic was caused by the Death of two children which have received vaccines prepared with an expired muscle relaxant instead of water. The Samoan government interrupted vaccinations for 10 months during its investigation. During this period, Kennedy visited the Samoa and met with eminent anti-vaccine activists And engaged in “an important disinformation campaign” which has undermined confidence in the photos of measles, Alec EkeromaThe director general of health of the country, said the guardian.
At the end of the epidemic, more than 5,700 people had been blistered by measles and 83 of them died. Almost all were infants, toddlers and children under the age of 5.
Senator Bernie Sanders underlines an exhibition of anti-vaccination Grenouillères during the confirmation hearing of Robert Kennedy.
(Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press)
Kennedy, who sent a letter To Prime Minister Samoan, exhoring him to investigate if the vaccines themselves could have caused diseases, said on Wednesday that he had had no role in the epidemic.
On Wednesday, Kennedy expressed his support for the measles vaccine, as well as the polio vaccine, potentially an attempt to win the support of Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Who suffered from children's disease.
Kennedy tried to focus his comments on questions in the event of a large agreement, such as nutrition and drug addiction.
The senators have expressed their support for Kennedy's objective to improve the quality of the food available thanks to Additional nutrition assistance programor snap. Currently, the program can be used to buy snacks such as croustilles and sweet sodas.
Kennedy blamed the worsening of the health of the nation in part to the rise of “transformed foods with a high intensity of chemicals”. He noted that articles such as fries and breakfast cereals contain more ingredients in the United States than in other countries and have said, without proof, that scientists have made “a deliberate choice not to study the things that make us really sick”.
“We have to repair our food supply,” he said.
During an exchange on mental health and drug addiction, Kennedy mentioned his famous dependence on the 14 -year -old heroine – a problem that resonates with the Americans struggling with the fentanyl crisis and following the opioid crisis.
Caroline Kennedy, former democratic and daughter ambassador of John. F. Kennedy, addressed the drug use of his cousin in a letter published Tuesday against his confirmation.
In addition to describing her previous waste like druggles who led other family members to dependence, she castigated Kennedy for her opinions on vaccines, said he was addicted to power and described disturbing scenes where he would use a mixer to turn chickens and mice to feed his hawks. The letter was reported for the first time by the Washington Post.
The candidate was a Democrat for decades before running without success to the presidency as an independent in 2024. He abandoned the race in August and approved Trump, a man he had previously described as “Probably a sociopath.”
Senators on both sides of the aisle sought to use Kennedy's past liberal positions to their advantage.
Senator Ron Johnson (R -Wis.) Thanks Kennedy for his plea for environmental health and children and recalled when Kennedy called her to discuss work with Trump on a common goal – attacking the deep causes of chronic diseases, which afflict 60% of Americans.
“We have to get there for the answers, but even more, we must cure and unify this divided nation,” said Johnson. “I thought, Wow, here is someone on the left, someone with whom I do not agree on many politically questions, by bringing President Trump and focusing on an area of agreement, something that the American people want desperately.”
Prime Minister Samoan Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi shakes hands with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his visit in 2019.
(Misiona Simo / Samoa Observer via Associated Press)
The Democrats underlined Kennedy's public support for abortion rights to need their GOP colleagues.
“It is remarkable that you have such a long balance sheet for the freedom of reproduction of women, and it is really great that my republican colleagues are so open to vote for a pro-HHS secretary of the HHS,” said Senator Maggie Hassan (DN.H.).
Kennedy has been dotted with questions about his ability to work for a president who has already taken measures to restrict access to abortion. He answered by showing disagreements on the question of his large Catholic family.
“I came from a family that was divided on life and the choice. I have cousins today who believe that all stadium abortion is equivalent to homicide,” said Kennedy. “Now there are other people who believe the opposite. But the good thing with my family that I really liked is that we were able to have these conversations and we respect each other, and I hope that we can do it nationally. ”
Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American public Health Assn., Said after the hearing that he was disturbed by the lack of experience of Kennedy in health care and management, and that the candidate did not seem to understand the difference between the Medicaid program and the exchanges where people can buy insurance plans.
“He did not give me confidence that he followed proof of science,” said Benjamin, who previously was secretary of the Maryland health and mental hygiene department.
