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Calista241

(5,616 posts)
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 10:48 AM Tuesday

Senate Finance Committee advances RFK Jr.'s nomination for health secretary

Source: MSNBC

The Senate Finance Committee voted along party lines Tuesday to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination for health secretary to the full Senate, putting the longtime anti-vaccine activist a step closer to becoming the country's top public health official.

Kennedy’s nomination cleared the committee with a key “yes” vote from Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician who had said publicly that he was “struggling” with Kennedy’s anti-vaccine stance. All 14 GOP members of the committee voted in favor of Kennedy while all 13 Democratic members voted against him.

Although Kennedy denied and deflected when asked during his two hearings about his long record of anti-vaccine statements, he refused to say he believed in the established science that vaccines do not cause autism.

“Does a 70-year-old man, 71-year-old man who spent decades criticizing vaccines, and who’s financially invested in finding fault with vaccines — can he change his attitudes and approach now that he’ll have the most important position influencing vaccine policy in the United States?” Cassidy said on Wednesday. “I’ve got to figure that out for my vote.”



Read more: https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/rfk-jr-senate-finance-committee-vote-health-secretary-nomination-rcna190575

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Senate Finance Committee advances RFK Jr.'s nomination for health secretary (Original Post) Calista241 Tuesday OP
Republican senators to America: Turbineguy Tuesday #1
Every Democratic senator please STALL bluestarone Tuesday #2
It's all kabuki theater at this point hueymahl Tuesday #3
I hate to pin my hopes on a Louisiana Republican doing the proper thing. Paladin Tuesday #4
Many of these GOP senators must be old enough to be grandparents mojo2012 Tuesday #5
I'm a grandparent, myself. Paladin Tuesday #6
he already sabbat hunter Tuesday #8
It is possible (if unlikely) for someone to vote yes in committee, but vote no when it comes to the floor. thesquanderer Tuesday #10
Not in this case sabbat hunter Tuesday #11
another 50-50 sabbat hunter Tuesday #7
I suddenly feel like I missed a chapter in Civics class Lulu KC Tuesday #9

hueymahl

(2,720 posts)
3. It's all kabuki theater at this point
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 11:07 AM
Tuesday

Maybe we can slow things down a week or two, but all the nominees are getting confirmed.

Paladin

(29,314 posts)
4. I hate to pin my hopes on a Louisiana Republican doing the proper thing.
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 11:08 AM
Tuesday

I'd love it if Bill Cassidy surprised me on this life-and-death matter. This country needs rfk jr. about as much as we need Elon Musk.

What an absolute clusterfuck this new administration is, in just its first few days. Glad to see some action starting up from Democrats in D.C.; hope it's not too late.

mojo2012

(291 posts)
5. Many of these GOP senators must be old enough to be grandparents
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 11:14 AM
Tuesday

It is very sad that they made the conscious decision to put Trump over the future lives of their grandchildren. All for fear of being primaried? Really?

thesquanderer

(12,464 posts)
10. It is possible (if unlikely) for someone to vote yes in committee, but vote no when it comes to the floor.
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 02:06 PM
Tuesday

One could conceivably take the position of "I'm willing to let this reach the floor so that everyone can vote, but I, personally, will not vote for him."

sabbat hunter

(6,924 posts)
11. Not in this case
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 05:54 PM
Tuesday

because he has already said that RFK jr has placated his fears, and will vote for him on the floor of the Senate.

Lulu KC

(6,439 posts)
9. I suddenly feel like I missed a chapter in Civics class
Tue Feb 4, 2025, 11:38 AM
Tuesday

Pardon my ignorance. Why is this appointment in the finance committee? Have all the appointments been in the finance committee? I will probably figure this out on my own in the next 15 minutes and feel dumb, but it's not adding up.

They only need ONE Republican to say no in "the committee" and all this time I thought it was a committee related to the actual appointment's role.

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