RFK Jr.'s Nomination Just Got a Shot in the Arm

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The Wall Street Journal

Daily News, Business News, News

4.2 • 5.3K Ratings

🗓️ 4 February 2025

⏱️ 18 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cleared a major hurdle to becoming the nation's chief health officer. WSJ’s Liz Essley Whyte on Kennedy’s history and the heated lead-up to a full Senate vote. Further Reading: -RFK Jr. Clears Committee Vote, Putting Him on Track to Become Health Secretary -RFK Jr. Backs Vaccines and Trump’s Agenda in Senate Testimony -How RFK Jr. Transformed From Green Hero to Vaccine Skeptic Further Listening: -Even Doctors Are Frustrated With Health Insurance -PepsiCo’s New Healthy Diet: More Potato Chips and Soda Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The clerk will call the roll.
0:07.0	Mr. Grassley.
0:08.0	Aye.
0:09.0	Mr. Grassley. Aye.
0:10.0	Mr. Cornyn.
0:11.0	Aye.
0:12.0	Mr. Thune.
0:13.0	Aye.
0:14.0	Mr. Scott.
0:15.0	Aye.
0:16.0	Mr. Cassidy.
0:17.0	Today on Capitol Hill, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
0:20.0	cleared his first major hurdle to becoming America's chief health officer.
0:24.8	Mr. Chairman, the final tally is 14 eyes, 13 A's.
0:28.6	His next and final test will be before the full Senate, which hasn't yet scheduled a vote.
0:35.5	If confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kennedy would
0:39.8	lead a sprawling department with a budget of $1.7 trillion. The job oversees everything from making
0:48.4	sure your lettuce doesn't carry a foodborne illness to approving new drugs, from setting the vaccine schedule for your kids to
0:56.2	deciding how easy it is to get abortion pills. Kennedy's path so far has been incredibly tight
1:03.8	and divided. Mr. Kennedy, if confirmed, we'll have the opportunity to deliver much-needed change to our nation's health care system.
1:12.6	Mr. Robert Kennedy is manifestly unqualified for the job he seeks.
1:18.6	I, for one, think that it is time to put a disruptor in.
	...

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