The Senate voted on Wednesday to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to head the Department of Health and Human Services.
After Kennedy cleared the Finance Committee in a party-line vote, the Senate voted 53-47 to invoke cloture on his nomination. The Senate is now expected to take up Kennedy’s final confirmation vote Thursday afternoon or Friday morning, after the 30-hour post-cloture window has passed.
‘If we’re going to Make America Healthy Again, the agencies doing this important work have to rebuild some trust with Americans.’
Kennedy was the subject of scrutiny during his pair of heated confirmation hearings in late January, leading skeptics to hold reservations about the nominee’s success down the road. But like all of President Donald Trump’s more contentious nominees, Kennedy managed to pave himself a path to victory.
“President Trump has tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the charge in making America healthy again,” Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said. “He promises to make HHS a collaborative, transparent, and science-driven agency under his leadership.”
“Our public health agencies do critical work, and I’m a supporter of their research, and I’m proud of the contributions they make to American leadership and medicine and innovation,” Thune continued. “But if we’re going to Make America Healthy Again, the agencies doing this important work have to rebuild some trust with Americans.”
Kennedy’s looming confirmation is likely a product of yet another successful pressure campaign led by Trump and his political allies. We first saw this pressure campaign in full swing for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was projected to have a tough confirmation battle. After identifying the behind-the-scenes defections, Trump’s allies successfully rallied enough Republicans to narrowly confirm Hegseth.
Similarly, newly confirmed Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard became the subject of bipartisan scrutiny following a fiery confirmation hearing at the end of January. However, in the weeks after her hearing, senators one by one rallied behind Gabbard, who eventually sailed through her confirmation Wednesday in a 52-48 vote.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that Trump’s mandate from the people is being heard, even on Capitol Hill.
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