WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — The Senate Finance Committee will vote Tuesday on whether to send Robert F. Kennedy’s nomination for secretary of Health and Human Services to the floor.
Kennedy’s confirmation faces uncertainty. Key senators to watch include U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., a doctor who pressed Kennedy over his views on vaccines during confirmation hearings last week.
In the hearings, Cassidy repeatedly asked Kennedy whether he would “reassure mothers unequivocally and without qualification” that the measles and hepatitis B vaccines do not cause autism.
Kennedy did not directly answer the question and instead replied, “If the data is there, I will absolutely do that.”
Multiple studies by health organizations and medical experts have debunked claims about a connection between autism and vaccines. Cassidy told Kennedy his past remarks “undermining confidence in vaccines with unfounded or misleading arguments” concerns him.
On Monday evening, Cassidy said he had “very cordial” conversations with Kennedy over the weekend but was “still working through” the vote.
Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky are also seen as potential “no” votes because they voted against President Donald Trump’s defense secretary nominee and have expressed concerns about Kennedy’s anti-vaccine work.
While Kennedy has sparked concerns about his record of spreading misinformation regarding vaccines, he has tried to downplay his past remarks and work, asserting he is not anti-vaccine and promising not to “take away” shots if confirmed.
Kennedy needs support from all but three Republicans if Democrats oppose him.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
