Senate Set to Vote on Robert F Kennedy Jr Confirmation as Health Secretary

The Senate will hold a final vote on whether to approve Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the nation's top health post after a three-month confirmation fight.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears poised to lead the Department of Health and Human Services -- a confirmation that would place a member of the storied Democratic family in President Donald Trump's Cabinet and give the anti-vaccine activist oversight of the nation's nearly $2 trillion health portfolio.

The former presidential candidate turned leader of the "Make America Healthy Again" movement could helm a vast government apparatus that oversees critical health insurance programs, the safety of the nation's drug and food supply and the response to infectious-disease outbreaks -- influencing health policy that touches all corners of American life.

The Senate will hold a final vote Thursday on whether to confirm Kennedy to the nation's top health post, but there are strong indications he has shored up the support needed to become secretary.

On Wednesday, the chamber voted 53 to 47 along party lines to advance the nomination of Kennedy. Democrats uniformly opposed the controversial nominee and criticized him on the Senate floor throughout Wednesday, expressing concerns over his years of repeating debunked claims linking vaccines to autism.

Kennedy did not face any resistance from Republicans during Wednesday's procedural vote. But all eyes are on Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), whose childhood bout with polio has made him an ardent supporter of vaccines. McConnell has voted to advance the nominations of controversial nominees, including Pete Hegseth for defense secretary and Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence, only to oppose them in their final confirmation vote.

If Kennedy secures the Cabinet seat, he would do so despite his liberal credentials, well-funded lobbying efforts against him and opposition over his past support for abortion led by Trump's own former vice president, Mike Pence.

Kennedy has pledged to focus on improving rates of chronic disease in America, lengthen life expectancies and pursue "gold-standard science" at U.S. health agencies.

His advocacy to improve America's nutrition won him populist support as part of Trump's coalition of people who say politicians have forgotten them -- a sharp contrast to the rejection by conservatives more than a decade ago of first lady Michelle Obama's initiative for similar reform.

Yet medical experts warn that Kennedy has repeatedly disparaged vaccines and falsely linked them to autism, according to a Washington Post review of his public statements from recent years. He often contends that vaccines are not tested enough, which vaccine experts say is baseless.

During his confirmation hearings, Kennedy repeatedly denied that he is anti-vaccine, saying that he is simply seeking more data and pledging not to undermine confidence in the shots.

"News reports and many in the hearing yesterday have claimed that I'm anti-vaccine and anti-industry," Kennedy said during his second hearing last month. "Well, I'm neither. I'm pro-safety. I'm pro-good science."

His refusal to recognize the reams of evidence that contradict him and years of anti-vaccine advocacy have alarmed public health leaders, who fear how he would shape the nation's vast health portfolio and vaccine policy. It is unprecedented for a health secretary to hold such views, health policy leaders said.

"His past history has shown that he doesn't follow the science or the facts, and it results in him making bad policy decisions," said Georges C. Benjamin, the longtime head of the American Public Health Association.

As HHS secretary, Kennedy would face huge health issues that will define the Trump administration: Will Medicare and Medicaid expand their coverage of popular weight loss drugs? Will he implement Republican plans to pursue work requirements in Medicaid? How will he deliver on his promises to improve the nation's food supply?

Brian Blase, who led HHS policy planning for the Trump transition team, said that in recent years there has been far too much focus on expanding Medicaid -- a joint federal and state insurance program for the poor -- and other programs, arguing that such efforts have not improved Americans' health.

Blase, who runs conservative think tank Paragon Health Institute, said there needs to be a greater focus on nutrition and exercise, as well as less deference to the powerful health-care industry -- all of which Kennedy has pledged to do.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Dan Diamond contributed to this report.