Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will face a critical moment on Tuesday morning as the Senate Finance Committee votes on his nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The committee will convene at 10 a.m. to consider Kennedy’s confirmation following his hearing last week.
The committee, consisting of 27 members—14 Republicans and 13 Democrats—will need a majority vote to advance Kennedy’s nomination to the full Senate. With all Democratic members expected to oppose him, Kennedy will likely require unanimous support from the Republican senators on the committee to move forward.
Two Republican senators, Todd Young of Indiana and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, have publicly backed Kennedy’s nomination. However, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician, has expressed reservations about Kennedy’s stance on vaccines, a topic that has been central to his public career. Kennedy spoke with Cassidy over the weekend, but neither camp has disclosed details of their conversation.
If Kennedy fails to secure enough votes in the Finance Committee, his nomination would likely be halted before reaching the full Senate. This would mark the first time a Trump nominee in this administration has failed to advance past the committee stage. The president’s other nominees have so far progressed through the confirmation process, with several already confirmed and sworn into their respective roles.
Among those confirmed is Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose nomination faced significant opposition before ultimately passing with a tie-breaking vote cast by Vice President JD Vance. However, unlike Hegseth, Kennedy may not receive the opportunity to reach a floor vote unless he secures full Republican support in committee.
The challenges facing Kennedy’s confirmation are not unique. On the same day, another high-profile Trump nominee, Tulsi Gabbard, will face her own confirmation vote for the position of Director of National Intelligence (DNI). Like Kennedy, Gabbard’s nomination has encountered skepticism from members of both parties, raising the possibility that she, too, may struggle to advance out of committee.
UPDATE:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has cleared a key hurdle in his bid to become President Donald Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, advancing out of the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday with a party-line vote of 14-13. The former Democratic presidential candidate, vaccine skeptic, and longtime environmental advocate now move to the confirmation process’s next stage.
Cassidy ultimately provided the deciding vote, ensuring Kennedy advanced to a full Senate confirmation vote. After the committee vote, Cassidy explained his decision on the Senate floor, citing a series of commitments Kennedy made to address concerns. These included quarterly hearings before the Senate Health Committee, frequent meetings, committee-appointed representatives on vaccine safety review boards, and a required 30-day notice with a hearing before any changes to vaccine safety reviews.
“These commitments, and my expectation that we can have a great working relationship to make America healthy again, is the basis of my support,” Cassidy said.
The complete list of who voted to confirm RFK Jr. and who didn’t 👇 pic.twitter.com/XlXxu6pzLE
— Lauren Lee (@sheislaurenlee) February 4, 2025
With the Senate Finance Committee’s approval, Kennedy’s nomination now moves to the full Senate, where a final confirmation vote will determine whether he officially becomes Secretary of Health and Human Services.
BREAKING: RFK Jr. has just been APPROVED by the Senate Finance Committee as the next Secretary of Health and Human Services, advancing his nomination to a full Senate vote.
Senator Bill Cassidy (R – Louisiana) was the key flip that helped Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination for… pic.twitter.com/eAyypn7yvL
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) February 4, 2025