RFK Jr. confirmation hearings underway amid vaccine controversy | FOX6 Milwaukee

RFK Jr. confirmation hearings underway amid vaccine controversy

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is facing Senate committees this week for his confirmation hearing to be the next Heath and Human Services secretary.

Kennedy appeared first on Wednesday before the Finance Committee, one of two committees with jurisdiction over HHS, and again on Thursday before the Health Committee. Kennedy's confirmation is far from certain in the Senate, where he is expected to face pointed questioning from both Republicans and Democrats on the chamber's health and finance committees.

Kennedy’s nomination alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines. He has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. 

Caroline Kennedy urged the U.S. Senate in a Tuesday letter to reject the nomination of her cousin to be President Donald Trump's health secretary, calling him a "predator."

Ms. Kennedy said in the letter that her cousin’s views on vaccines are disqualifying. She offered senators personal details from their lives growing up together that she said pose an even greater concern.

Kennedy ran for president as a Democrat, then as an independent, before he dropped out and endorsed President Donald Trump

Who is RFK Jr.?

The backstory:

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the son of Democratic icon Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968 during his own presidential campaign. 

The 71-year-old, whose famous name and family tragedies have put him in the national spotlight since he was a child, has spent years airing his populist — and sometimes extreme — views in podcasts, TV interviews and speeches, building his own quixotic brand.

PREVIOUS: Trump expected to nominate RFK Jr. for health secretary

RFK's stance on vaccinations 

Kennedy's numerous remarks, anti-vaccine nonprofit and lawsuits against immunizations are likely to haunt him.

RELATED: McConnell slams polio vaccine critics in apparent warning to RFK Jr.

He's rejected the anti-vaccine label, instead casting himself as a crusader for "medical freedom" who wants more research. He and Trump have vowed not to "take away" vaccines. To defuse criticism, he resigned from the Children’s Health Defense, his nonprofit that has filed dozens of lawsuits against vaccines, including government authorizations of some of them.

In his opening statement Wednesday, Kennedy rejected the ‘anti-vaccine’ label, telling senators he’s not anti-vaccine but has asked "uncomfortable questions."

While Kennedy has called vaccines unsafe, in his opening remarks he said all of his children are vaccinated.

"I believe that vaccines play a critical role in health care," Kennedy told the committee.

RFK's abortion stance 

Dig deeper:

Other conservatives have questioned Kennedy's abortion views, after he said last year that it should be legal for full-term pregnancies. His campaign later clarified that he supports abortion rights until fetal viability, around 22 to 24 weeks.

In meetings with some senators, he promised to follow Trump's directive on the issue.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, for example, said he was convinced after talking to Kennedy that he would be a strong anti-abortion advocate.

But skepticism remains, with Pence's advocacy group highlighting his abortion views in an ad campaign.

"RFK Jr. has made certain overtures to pro-life leaders that he would be mindful of their concerns at HHS, there is little reason for confidence at this time," his group said in a letter sent to senators last week.

Farmers weigh in on RFK's nomination

In Iowa, Kennedy's nomination both excites and worries corn and soybean farmer Brian Fyre.

The sixth-generation farmer and Republican thinks Kennedy will offer a fresh perspective, but he also can't afford the ban on corn syrup or pesticides that Kennedy has promised. If confirmed, Kennedy would oversee the Food and Drug Administration, which has the power to enact restrictions.

Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican from a dairy farm state, sees it differently, telling a crowd at the Heritage Foundation last month that Kennedy's agriculture ideas are a promising part of a bigger goal: "to Make America Healthy Again."

What does the Heath and Human Services secretary do?

Big picture view:

Health and Human Services has a broad reach across the lives of Americans, including inspecting the nation’s food, regulating medicines and overseeing research of diseases and cures. It provides health insurance for nearly half of the country — poor, disabled and older Americans, including via Medicare. 

How do confirmation hearings work?

What's next:

After Trump nominates his picks for various positions, they are then presented to the appropriate Senate committee. The committee then votes whether to recommend a candidate to the full Senate. The full Senate will debate. Trump's picks will either be confirmed or rejected by a simple majority. If they are approved, they are then sworn-in. 

Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the Senate, which could suggest many of Trump's picks will be confirmed without issue. 

The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story is based on a combination of recent news reports, political statements, and public records regarding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination to become the next Health and Human Services secretary. This story was reported from Los Angeles. 

PoliticsHealthNews