Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee for well being secretary, appeared to dispel some Republicans’ qualms about him on Wednesday and inched nearer to a affirmation vote after greater than three hours of intense grilling from senators of each events.
His listening to earlier than the Senate Finance Committee touched on a variety of subjects, from Medicaid and Medicare, to a measles outbreak in Samoa and his lengthy historical past of criticizing vaccines and the nation’s public well being institution.
Mr. Kennedy is well-known to Individuals because the scion of a Democratic political dynasty who broke along with his household to affix forces with a Republican, Mr. Trump. But for a lot of Individuals, Wednesday could have been the primary time they’d heard Mr. Kennedy’s distinctive raspy voice; he has spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological situation that causes sure muscular tissues within the voice field, or larynx, to spasm.
Mr. Kennedy will face further questions on Thursday from the Senate Committee on Well being, Schooling, Labor and Pensions. However the Finance Committee listening to is extra essential, as a result of the Finance Committee is the panel that may vote on whether or not to ship Mr. Kennedy’s nomination to the Senate ground for a vote.
Listed here are 5 takeaways from Wednesday’s session.
Mr. Kennedy seems to have gained over most Republicans.
Maybe all however one. Republicans appeared by and huge to help Mr. Kennedy. No less than two whose votes had been unsure — Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Senator Todd Younger of Indiana — requested questions that prompt they’d help Mr. Kennedy.
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