WASHINGTON- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to become secretary of Health and Human Services, began meeting with senators Monday.
He plans to meet with more than two dozen Republicans at the Capitol this week, according to a source familiar with his plans. The meetings include meetings with key new leaders like Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and incoming Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, whose committee will oversee and vote on Kennedy’s planned nomination.
Kennedy is prepared to face questions about his long tenure history of anti-vaccine rhetoricits vision to reshape the healthcare industry and its support for the right to abortion as he meets with Republican senators who largely oppose legal abortion.
“Mr. Kennedy is extremely ready to meet with more than two dozen senators this week. He is full of energy; he is excited to talk about President Trump’s vision to make America healthy again,” he said. the source close to Kennedy’s plans told NBC News.
His first discussion was with Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who called it a “great meeting” and said, “I fully support what he wants to accomplish and I wish him well.”
Scott said he and Kennedy both wanted “transparency” on vaccines.
Other notable names on Kennedy’s expected meeting list are moderate Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who faces re-election in 2026; and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., senior member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which will also consider his nomination.
Senate Republicans will have 53 seats as of January 3, meaning they can afford three defections while confirming Trump’s nominees. A fourth defection would be fatal to a nomination unless some Democrats vote yes. The hearings have not yet been scheduled, but they could take place before Trump takes office on January 20; Final confirmation votes must wait until he is in the White House.
A key senator to watch in Kennedy’s confirmation battle is Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who is leaving GOP leadership after 18 years in office but remains a senator, removing a political barrier to voting his way . McConnell, a polio survivor, fired a warning shot Friday, in response to a New York Times report that a Kennedy adviser once asked the Food and Drug Administration to rescind approval of the polio vaccine.
“The polio vaccine saved millions of lives and helped eradicate a terrible disease,” McConnell said in a statement. “Efforts to undermine public confidence in proven remedies are not only misinformed: they are dangerous. »
A Kennedy spokesperson told the Times that he and the adviser in question did not discuss the adviser’s push to revoke approval of the polio vaccine. Katie Miller, Kennedy spokesperson told NBC News Friday, “the polio vaccine should be made available to the public and studied thoroughly and appropriately.”
Asked Monday whether he supported the polio vaccine, Kennedy told reporters, “Yes, I support it.” »
Sen. James Lankford, Republican of Oklahoma, said he would have “questions” for Kennedy about her views on abortion.
“Obviously, HHS under the first Trump administration was very clear on the issue of conscience protection when it comes to abortion and all those things. But President Joe Biden’s team foiled all that,” Lankford said in a recent interview. “These are questions I’m going to ask.”