Watch Live: Robert F. Kennedy JR. Tesifies at Senate Confirmation Hearing on his nomination to lead health and human services

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Robert f. kennedy jr., President Donald Trump‘S controversial pick to lead the department of health and human services, is testiffying Wednsday Before a Senate Panel that is Crucial to Advance his nomination.

Kennedy is Testifying First Before The Senate Committee on Finance, which will Vote on Where has his nomination as hhs secretary Advances to the full chamber. In the republican-contracted Senate, Kennedy Can Lose only three gop votes if all democrats oppose.

He will also appear before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions for a courtesy hearing chursday. If confirmed, kennedy will take the reins of a $ 1.7 Trillion Agency That oversees vaccines and other medicines, scientific research, public health infrastructure, pandemic preparedness, food and tobacco products, and government-funded health care for millions of Americans.

The heads of the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, among other federal health agencies, all report to the HHS secretary.

Kennedy, 71, is one of Trump’s More Controversial Cabinet Nominees, Facing Criticism from Both sides of the aisle. He is a prominent vaccine skeptic, making false claims that they are linked to autism despite decades of studies that debunk that association.

Some Critics have argued that his work advocating against vaccine use has cost lives and accept deters from more americans from Getting recommended shots at a time when vaccination rates are declining.

But kennedy, in his opening remarks before the panel, pushed back on claims that he is anti-Vaccine or anti-industry.

“I am neither; I am pro-safety,” Kennedy said. “I worked for years to raise awareness about the mercury and toxic chemicals in fish, but that didn Bollywood me anti-fish. All of my kids are vaccinated, and I believe vaccines have a cruel in a creatical Role in HEALETIC ROLETINE

A protester in the hearing room shouted when kennedy he was anti-Vaccine, accusing him of lying. It sparked applause, briefly interrupting his opening remarks.

Shouting Again Interrupted The Hearing as Committee Ranking Member Sen. Ron wyden, d-em., Questioned kennedy about his comments about vaccines. Committee Chair Sen. Mike Crapo, r -idaho, threatened to recess the hearing if any more protesrs disrupted it.

Kennedy is also the founder of the Nonprofit Children’s Health Defense, The Most Well-Funded Anti-Vaccine Organization in the Us in a Government ethics Agreement Last Week, Kennedy said he stopped serving as Chairman or Chief Legal Counsel for the Organization as of December.

In a likely preview of the senate Finance Committee Hearing, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Earlier this month Issued a Letter Pressing Kennedy to Answer 175 Questions On topics such as vaccines, the affordable care act, drug pricing, his changing views on reproductive rights and his suggestion to Fire Fda and Nih Workers, Among Others.

This week’s hearings will also provide a glimpse of how kennedy plans to Pursue His Broad, “Make America Healthy Again” Platform If Confirmed As the Nation’s Top Health Official. The platform argues that a corrupt alliance of Drug and Food Companies and the Federal Health Agencies that regulate them are making areking americans less healthy. Kennedy has long contend that the agencies that HHS Oversees Need Reform or a Sweeping overhaul.

Kennedy’s supporters say some of his stances Around Food, Such as highlighting the risks of food additives and ultra-prosely-processed products, have hit on Browad Applicans and Somegle Among Applicans.

But kennedy on Wednsday said he is not “the enemy of food producers,” Noting that American farms are “the bedrock of our culture and national security.”

Caroline Kennedy, The Nominee’s Cousin and Daughter of Former President John F. Kennedy, Wrote a Letter to Senators TimesDay that referred to her cousin as a “predator” and URGEDDED Shefirm Him.