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Senate panel advances RFK Jr.'s nomination to be health secretary

The committee voted for RFK Jr. 14-13, sending his nomination to the Senate floor for a vote, probably next week.

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WASHINGTON — Robert F. Kennedy's bid to lead the Department of Health and Human Services narrowly cleared a critical hurdle Tuesday when the Senate Finance Committee voted along party lines to recommend his confirmation.

The committee voted for RFK Jr. 14-13, sending his nomination to the Senate floor for a vote, probably next week. In a vote along party lines, the Senate Finance Committee pushed through Kennedy’s nomination after he managed to allay concerns raised by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R, La., over his past anti-vaccine stances.

Cassidy, a doctor, signaled he held serious reservations over whether Kennedy was qualified to lead the vast agency, saying he was “struggling” with his decision after questioning him at two confirmation hearings last week. In addition to the Finance Committee, Cassidy serves as chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

In a statement posted to X before Tuesday's vote, Cassidy said he had "very intense conversations" with Kennedy and the White House over the weekend, specifically thanking Vice President JD Vance "for his honest counsel."

During his confirmation hearings, Kennedy didn't deny several of his outlandish past statements, although he frequently tried to add context or explanation.

While he testified that he is neither "anti-vax or anti-industry," he declined to say that vaccines don't cause autism.

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