Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the nation’s top health official, moved closer toward confirmation Tuesday, with the Senate Finance Committee voting along party lines to send his controversial nomination to the full Senate.
By a 14-13 vote, the committee voted to approve the confirmation of Kennedy, who has faced intense scrutiny over his past anti-vaccine statements. The key swing vote putting Kennedy over the edge was Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., a physician who voted for Kennedy despite raising reservations about the selection.
“Iβve had very intense conversations with Bobby and the White House over the weekend and even this morning,” Cassidy said in a statement posted on X before the vote. “I want to thank VP JD specifically for his honest counsel. With the serious commitments Iβve 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.”
JUST IN – U.S. Senate finance committee votes 14-13 to advance RFK Jr. nomination favorably.
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) February 4, 2025
