LAUREN TAYLOR: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced more than three hours of questions from senators on the Senate Finance Committee during his first confirmation hearing Wednesday. The former 2024 presidential candidate is President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

Kennedy has drawn controversy since his nomination, with criticism emerging from Democrats about his false claims about vaccines and ties to anti-vaccine groups, accusations of sexual misconduct, and Republicans expressing concerns about his support for abortion rights up to birth.

Kennedy also faced particular scrutiny from Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado, who pressed Kennedy on his prior statements about pesticides, and diseases including COVID-19 and Lyme disease.

SEN. MICHAEL BENNET / (D)-CO: Did you say that COVID-19 was a genetically-engineered bioweapon that targets Black and white people but spares Ashkenazic Jews and Chinese people?”

ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.: “I didn’t say it was deliberately targeted. I just, I just quoted an NIH-funded, an NIH-published study…”

SEN. MICHAEL BENNET / (D)-CO: “Did you say that it targeted Black and white people but spares Ashkenazic Jews and Chinese…”

ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.: “I quoted a study your honor, I quoted an NIH study that showed that certain races…” 

SEN. MICHAEL BENNET / (D)-CO: “I’ll take that as a yes. I have to move on. Did you say that Lyme Disease is highly likely a materially engineered bioweapon? I made sure I put in the highly likely. Did you say that Lyme Disease is highly likely a militarily engineered bioweapon?”

ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.: “I probably did say that. That’s what the developer of…”

SEN. MICHAEL BENNET / (D)-CO:“I want all of our colleagues to hear it, Mr. Kennedy. I want them to hear it. You said yes. Did you say that exposure to pesticides makes children become transgender?”

ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.: “No, I never said that.”

SEN. MICHAEL BENNET / (D)-CO: “Okay, I have the record that I’ll give to the chairman and he can make his judgement about what you said.”

LAUREN TAYLOR: Kennedy faced some difficulties with some factual questions, including one moment where he appeared to confuse Medicare and Medicaid when Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana asked how he would handle Americans who are eligible for both programs.

ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.: My answer to that is to make sure that the programs are consolidated, that they’re integrated and the care is integrated. I look forward to working with you Dr Cassidy on making sure that we take good care of people who are eligible.

SEN. BILL CASSIDY / (R)-LA: Thank you. And how would we–how do you propose that we integrate those programs? Does Medicare pay more, Medicare pay less, Medicaid pay more, Medicaid pay less? How do we do that?

ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.: Well, I’m not exactly sure because I’m not in there. I mean, it is difficult to integrate them.

LAUREN TAYLOR: Most Republicans on the committee have said they would support Kennedy or asked questions suggesting they may do so, despite Republican senators previously expressing skepticism about Kennedy’s stances on vaccines.

Sen. Cassidy appears to be the only Republican on the committee who is still unsure. Cassidy, a doctor, chairs the Senate Health Committee and said he will withhold judgment about the nomination until after Kennedy testifies before the committee in his second confirmation hearing Thursday.

For Straight Arrow News, I’m Lauren Taylor.

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