February 13, 2025 11:28 AM UTC

"Chaos Reigns" As Bennet, DeGette Condemn RFK Jr.'s HHS Confirmation

• 2 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

As CNN reports, one of the final and most contentious pieces of President Donald Trump’s second Cabinet was narrowly confirmed by the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate this morning, and later today Robert Francis Kennedy, Jr. will be sworn in as the director of the Department of Health and Human Services, consummating the alliance forged between the two former presidential opponents that injected crucial support to Trump’s eventual victory last November:

The 52-48 vote was largely along party lines, though Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky once again joined with Democrats to oppose the nomination. McConnell has now voted against three of Trump’s Cabinet nominees, more than any other Republican senator.

The confirmation vote highlights the extent of Trump’s influence over the Senate GOP majority, as a slate of contentious nominees who faced questions over whether they could be confirmed – including Kennedy, Pete Hegseth as defense secretary and Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence – have been approved by Senate Republicans for top administration posts.

Former GOP Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a polio survivor, issued the strongest statement opposing the nation’s leading vaccine conspiracy theorist RFK Jr. of any of the three dissenting votes he has cast so far against Trump’s nominees. Via the Kentucky Lantern:

“I’m a survivor of childhood polio. In my lifetime, I’ve watched vaccines save millions of lives from devastating diseases across America and around the world. I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles.

“Individuals, parents, and families have a right to push for a healthier nation and demand the best possible scientific guidance on preventing and treating illness. But a record of trafficking in dangerous conspiracy theories and eroding trust in public health institutions does not entitle Mr. Kennedy to lead these important efforts. [Pols emphasis]

“This Administration – led by the same President who delivered a medical miracle with Project Warp Speed – deserves a leader who is willing to acknowledge without qualification the efficacy of life-saving vaccines and who can demonstrate an understanding of basic elements of the U.S. healthcare system. Mr. Kennedy failed to prove he is the best possible person to lead America’s largest health agency. As he takes office, I sincerely hope Mr. Kennedy will choose not to sow further doubt and division but to restore trust in our public health institutions.”

For the sake of our children, doctors, researchers, and the health of every American, I voted no today on the confirmation of RFK Jr. to HHS Secretary. pic.twitter.com/IMXOLXqoS3

— Michael Bennet (@SenatorBennet) February 13, 2025

In his floor speech today explaining his vote against RFK. Jr.’s confirmation, Sen. Michael Bennet called Kennedy a “known peddler of junk science” and asked if Kennedy is “the best we really can do for our kids?”

Mr. Kennedy likes to talk about the need for more research. In fact, that was his answer to many of my colleagues’ questions. He even told me to look at an NIH study when I asked him about some of his unfounded claims about COVID-19. Now the NIH, as you know, is under attack tonight as we’re here, and all Mr. Kennedy has to say about that is that he’ll look into that. The NIH is the gold standard worldwide.

For scientific research and innovation, I guess I really think, Mr. President, that we could do better than a known peddler of junk science to run the most important medical research in the country. As a vaccine denier, the best we can do for our doctors who are working around the clock and our nurses too in the midst of the worst flu outbreak in 15 years is a man who became a millionaire many times over by claiming vaccines cause autism the best we really can do for our kids? Do we really want parents making a choice that is unsafe for them and for their communities because people at the highest offices in the country are making false statements about science?

Out of 330 million Americans, we can surely do better than this.

Rep. Diana DeGette of Denver, ranking Democrat on the Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee, condemned Kennedy’s selection to lead the nation’s public health agencies in a lengthy statement this morning, saying Kennedy’s “views on public health policy are dangerously out of line with established clinical practice.”

“RFK Jr.’s conspiratorial thinking and inexperience could not come at a worse time. With multiple disease outbreaks at home and Trump’s decision to abandon our global health leadership by withdrawing from the WHO, the health challenges we face are real and growing.

“Secretary Kennedy is now responsible for Medicare, Medicaid, CDC, and NIH, and if the first few weeks of this administration have shown us anything, it is that our health care system is under attack. Chaos reigns as Trump’s dangerous funding freeze is causing confusion. In Colorado, vital institutions like CU Anschutz and Denver Health are unable to properly function thanks to the havoc caused by this administration’s improper actions.

“His views on vaccines are out-of-touch with reality, and his lies to the people of Samoa discouraged measles vaccinations and contributed to the deaths of 83 people. This is dangerous and could lead to mistrust in some of the most closely studied products in medicine.

“Furthermore, his willingness to restrict reproductive rights will only further negatively impact women across our country. As co-chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, I am fighting every day to ensure that women have access to a full slate of health care without interference from politicians like Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

“I remain focused on ensuring that every American has access to affordable care and protecting against dangerous conspiracy theories that harm public health. I’ll work with Secretary Kennedy wherever possible to improve access to care, lower health care costs, and advance lifesaving research and cures. However, I will not compromise Americans’ health care if Secretary Kennedy’s inexperience and judgment impede his ability to lead this department at a critical time.”

Kennedy’s nomination, though expected after they joined forces on the campaign trail, was once considered sufficiently problematic that his name was cited as a prime example of why Trump originally desired recess appointments for his Cabinet nominees to bypass Senate scrutiny entirely. Trump’s success in grinding down opposition to other controversial nominees like Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard set the stage for wavering Republicans like Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana to fold under pressure to support Kennedy.

In the end, Trump has with one truly outlandish exception gotten the Cabinet he wanted. Now comes the administration that Colorado voters did not.