Murkowski backs Kennedy for HHS secretary despite 'concerns'
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) announced she will support Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s bid to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) despite having “concerns” about his views on vaccines and “his selective interpretation of scientific studies.”
“Instead of focusing on who covers our exorbitant healthcare costs, we need to reduce these costs by directing our attention to prevention and keeping people healthy. This is the appeal of RFK, and many Alaskans have shared that view with me,” Murkowski said in a Wednesday post on social platform X. “Chronic conditions are a significant source of illness and major drivers of public debt; he recognizes this and is committed to addressing it.”
The Alaska senator said Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist, made “numerous” commitments to her and fellow senators, including that he “would do nothing to make it difficult for people to take vaccines or discourage vaccination efforts.”
“I continue to have concerns about Mr. Kennedy’s views on vaccines and his selective interpretation of scientific studies, which initially caused my misgivings about his nomination,” Murkowski said, adding that Kennedy, a former 2024 presidential candidate, promised to work with Congress to make sure the public has access to information and base recommendations for vaccines on “data-driven, evidence-based, and medically sound research.”
“These commitments are important to me and, on balance, provide assurance for my vote,” the GOP senator said.
On Wednesday, the Senate ended debate on Kennedy’s nomination with a 53-47 vote, bringing him a step closer to confirmation. Kennedy had two Senate hearings — that were at times heated — where he argued he is not anti-vaccine.
Democrats are still not ready to back him.
“Republicans are choosing to pretend like it is in any way believable that RFK Jr. won’t use his new power to do exactly the thing he has been trying to do for decades: undermine vaccines,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said Tuesday.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (Ky.), the other Republican seen as a toss-up vote, advanced Kennedy’s nomination Wednesday.
McConnell, the former Senate majority leader, did not meet with Kennedy before his hearings. The Kentucky Republican voted to advance Pete Hegseth’s nomination for Defense secretary but ultimately voted against him during the confirmation vote.
“I am encouraged by the time he has spent among indigenous peoples, his commitment to tribal sovereignty, and his promised attention to the Indian Health Service," Murkowski wrote about Kennedy. "He has spent time in rural Alaska and understands some of the unique public health challenges we face that require complex solutions. There is much shared work ahead to achieve better public health outcomes, and I will push Mr. Kennedy to realize these goals.”
-
Hegseth Takes Aim at Domestic Enemies as Defense Secretary
Pete Hegseth has spent much of his first weeks in office focused on culture wars while saying little about America’s adversaries.The New York Times - 4h -
HHS Employees Sort Out Return-to-Office Mandate
This is a MedPage Today story. Employees at HHS and its various sub-agencies are struggling to figure out how to implement President Donald Trump's executive order requiring them to report ...ABC News - 3d -
New Kennedy Center board elects Trump as chairman
President Trump says he's now the chair of the Kennedy Center following a vote by its board after, in an unprecedented move, he named himself to the position. "It is a Great Honor to be Chairman of ...The Hill - 2h -
Treasury Secretary Expected to Visit Kyiv
The visit by Scott Bessent will be the first by a Trump official since the president’s return to office and comes amid uncertainty about the future of U.S. support for Ukraine.The New York Times - 9h -
Murkowski: 'We are a nation of laws'
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Tuesday the United States is a “nation of laws” and President Trump and his administration need to comply with federal court orders halting his executive ...The Hill - 1d -
Trump Says He Will Install Himself as Kennedy Center Chairman
The move by the president, whose authority to make the changes was not clear, is the latest attempt to bring a Washington institution under his control.The New York Times - 4d -
Trump to fire multiple Kennedy Center board members, name himself chair
President Trump did not say which board members at the Kennedy Center he plans to terminate.CBS News - 4d -
Trump to name himself new Kennedy Center board chair
President Trump said Friday he would end the terms of multiple members of the Kennedy Center board and make himself chair of a new board, putting himself at the helm of the Washington, D.C., ...The Hill - 4d
More from The Hill
-
Lawyer for Vince McMahon says criminal probe 'definitively concluded' with no charges
A lawyer for Vince McMahon said Wednesday that Manhattan federal prosecutors have dropped their criminal probe into whether the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) co-founder attempted to cover up ...The Hill - 34m -
Evening Report — House, Senate GOP duel over budget path
Presented by March of Dimes — The race is on between Republican leaders in the House and Senate to see who can be first to create a budget with the greatest likelihood of passing President Trump’s ...The Hill - 35m -
House Commerce chair launches data privacy working group
House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) on Wednesday announced the creation of a data privacy working group as policymakers work toward a national privacy standard. “We ...The Hill - 44m -
Education Department launches Title IX probes over trans athlete policies
The Department of Education announced on Wednesday it is investigating two state athletic associations that say they will not abide by the Trump administration's Title IX rules that forbid ...The Hill - 47m -
Trump says he expects to meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia
President Trump said Wednesday he expects to meet in person with Russian President Vladimir Putin multiple times, suggesting they are likely to meet first in Saudi Arabia. “We ultimately expect to ...The Hill - 55m
More in Politics
-
Lawyer for Vince McMahon says criminal probe 'definitively concluded' with no charges
A lawyer for Vince McMahon said Wednesday that Manhattan federal prosecutors have dropped their criminal probe into whether the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) co-founder attempted to cover up ...The Hill - 34m -
Evening Report — House, Senate GOP duel over budget path
Presented by March of Dimes — The race is on between Republican leaders in the House and Senate to see who can be first to create a budget with the greatest likelihood of passing President Trump’s ...The Hill - 35m -
House Commerce chair launches data privacy working group
House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) on Wednesday announced the creation of a data privacy working group as policymakers work toward a national privacy standard. “We ...The Hill - 44m -
Education Department launches Title IX probes over trans athlete policies
The Department of Education announced on Wednesday it is investigating two state athletic associations that say they will not abide by the Trump administration's Title IX rules that forbid ...The Hill - 47m -
Trump has a ‘real opportunity’ to bring Putin and Zelenskyy to a peace deal: Amb. Bill Taylor
Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor joins Meet the Press NOW as President Trump announces initial talks to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. NBC News correspondents Gabe Gutierrez ...NBC News - 54m