Inside (the Beltway) Scoop

By: Ellen Kuo
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Senate Reviews Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Nomination for Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary 

A motion to proceed to vote on Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s nomination took place in the Senate on February 6. Senators voted 52-47 to move forward with the nomination, clearing the way for a potential floor vote in the Senate this week. In anticipation of this, FASEB released a statement that was provided to all Senators last week noting concern with his nomination.

Previously, the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions held hearings to allow Senators to ask Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. questions on his position on vaccines, his knowledge of the programs under the Department, and his thoughts on the use of fetal tissue. Chair Bill Cassidy was not completely convinced that Kennedy would instill trust in vaccines that would prevent another person from dying, which happened recently when he heard two children died in intensive care at a Baton Rouge hospital from vaccine-preventable diseases. An open executive session before the Senate Finance Committee to consider favorably the nomination took place on February 4. 

During the hearings, Kennedy stated that he was supportive of vaccines and was a pro-science person who looked at data to make a decision. On the topic of stem cells, he said, “I will protect stem cell research. Stem cell research today can be done on umbilical cords and you don’t need fetal tissue.” In his response to whether he would support a ban on National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for research involving fetal tissue from abortions which occurred during the first Trump term, he said that present-day regenerative medicine, which relies on stem cells, is based on adult stem cells derived from bone marrow, adipose tissue, or other specialty cells in the body. He concluded that there is no need to use stem cells from fetal tissue or embryos.

When asked about NIH recently having all its funding frozen and all activities stopped including meetings of groups of professionals that support their work, which has effectively halted the function of the NIH putting at risk vital research, his response was that HHS will continue to implement the President’s Executive Orders and that OMB Memo 25-13 was rescinded on January 29. He did not mention the Congressional uproar that took place when constituents called their members of Congress about the funding freeze that put pressure on the administration to walk back its efforts.

When questioned about committing to upholding scientific integrity at HHS agencies, including NIH, he said he looked forward to advancing reforms that will restore scientific integrity to the work at NIH. On the topic of treating addiction, he was asked how he would work with NIH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and others to ensure the investment in addiction research and programs corresponds with the gravity of the addiction epidemic. Noting that he had struggled with substance abuse, he said he understood how serious the issue of addiction is and was committed to implementing programs as intended by Congress in this critical area and finding solutions to help Americans.