WASHINGTON — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes his first congressional appearance Wednesday as President Trump’s pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department. The hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, which begins at 10 a.m. ET and can be livestreamed here, promises interrogations of his vaccine views, grillings on his business and legal entanglements, and a big focus on chronic illnesses in America. Day 2 of RFK Jr.’s confirmation hearings continues Thursday as he appears before the Senate HELP Committee. Follow STAT’s live updates below for key moments and analysis.
At a glance: RFK Jr.’s confirmation hearing day 1
Live coverage will be posted below in reverse chronological order.
6 A.M.
What to know before RFK Jr.’s hearing begins
SARAH OWERMOHLE
RFK Jr. will tell lawmakers he is not anti-vaccine or anti-industry, according to his prepared remarks for the Senate Finance Committee first reported by Bloomberg. His efforts to assure the panel come after weeks of concern from Democrats and several Republicans about RFK Jr.’s long history of questioning vaccine safety, criticizing Covid-19 shots, and alleging links between childhood immunizations and rises in autism and chronic illnesses.
Some senators have indicated they plan to dig into RFK Jr.’s vaccine policy plans. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) directed more than a dozen questions on vaccines to the nominee in a letter last week. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) convened a roundtable on vaccine safety that asked experts about the impact eroding confidence could have on public health.
RFK Jr. has previously laid out steps the health department could take to reassess vaccine recommendations, restructure research, and hold vaccine manufacturers liable for potential injuries. The hearing Wednesday could start to distill his plans for a position overseeing public health agencies, drug regulators, and billions of dollars in medical research.
The nominee could also face questions about the ongoing confusion and chaos at those agencies over White House-mandated freezes on financial assistance programs, public communications from health agencies, and new research programs.