Washington – Alternative views of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. On vaccines, reproductive rights and public health issues, they were the central goal at its first interrogation confirming on Wednesday, and democratic senators expressed terror because of the nomination, and Republicans signal that he would probably have their support.
Kennedy undertook to bring the “radical transparency” of the Health and Social Welfare Department, if he was confirmed by the US Senate, although he did not describe his plans for gigantic healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid at an almost four -hour hearing.
Kennedy repeatedly testified before the financial committee that he wants to reduce chronic diseases throughout the country and allow scientific research.
But democratic senators were skeptical that it would improve the general health results of the country if they were confirmed as the secretary of HHS, mentioning several of its earlier claims that were not supported by research or medicine.
“For a long time, the nation was locked in a duties on the subject of healthcare about who pays. When health care costs reach 20%, there are no good options, only bad, said Kennedy. “The shift of the weight between the government and corporations as well as insurers as well as suppliers and families is like rearranting on -board chairs to Titanica.”
Kennedy said that if he is confirmed, he would try to make sure that federal expenses for nutrition programs go to “healthy food” and strengthens the control of “chemical additives in our food supply”.
“We will remove financial conflicts of interest from our agencies. We will create an honest, impartial, golden study in HHS, responsible for the president, Congress and the American nation – added Kennedy. “We will reverse the epidemic of a chronic disease and put the nation back on the way to good health.”
The independent senator Vermont Bernie Sanders asked how senators or Americans could trust what Kennedy said During the trialConsidering its rapid change of opinions on vaccine safety and the role of the government in access to abortion, compared to comments last year.
“Tell me, why do you think that people should have confidence in your consistency and their work when you really made meaning in such a short time?” Sanders said.
“Conspiracy theories, charlatans, charlatans”
A member of the financial committee of Ron Wydote, Oregon Democrat, rebuked Kennedy for some of the previous comments on vaccine safety, saying that he “accepted conspiracy theories, charlatans, charlatans.”
“Mr.. Kennedy changed his views so often that it is almost impossible to know where he stands on so many basic problems that affect the daily lives of Americans,” he said.
Kennedy testified at several points during the interrogation that he was supporting some vaccines, including measles and polio, and tests based on medical treatment.
“I support vaccines. I support my childhood schedule. I’ll do it, “said Kennedy. “The only thing I want is good learning and that’s all.”
Democratic senator New Hampshire Maggie Hassan said that Americans should be proud, that vaccines have largely eliminated fatal diseases in the United States, including polio and smallpox.
“I am very concerned that as a secretary you would be able to stop critical vaccine research and use the natural worries of your parents, advising them not to vaccinate your children,” said Hassan. “This will lead to the fact that more children will get ailing and some will even die.
“About 500 American children died a year from the Oder in front of the Odra vaccine. This is too high a risk for our country and there is no reason for any of us to believe that you have reversed the anti-feasible views that you have been promoting for 25 years. “
Abortion pill
Kennedy, who made several different statements regarding access to abortion during his unsuccessful president of the president, undertook during the trial to implement the program of President Donald Trump on reproductive rights, whatever this could be.
Anti -abortion groups are in favor of Trump’s administration in order to limit access to drug abortion, a two -level pattern consisting of mifepriston and mizoprostol approved by the American administration of food and medicine up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. FDA is located in HHS.
“President Trump asked me to study the safety of Mifepriston,” said Kennedy. “He has not yet undertaken how to regulate him. Whatever he does, I will implement these rules. I will cooperate with this committee so that these rules make sense. “
The FDA originally approved Mifepriston in 2000 and introduced several changes to the guidelines regarding the prescribing in 2016.
These changes included an enhance in the pregnancy limit from seven to 10 weeks and the introduction of dosage and time changes for both pharmaceuticals. The updated guidelines allowed qualified healthcare workers the possibility of prescribing medicines for this with Mifepriston, not just doctors. And the requirement of three personal visits to the doctor’s office was removed.
Numerous medical organizations, including American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Medical Association and Society for MOPAL-PEMNAL MEDICINE He submitted briefs to the Supreme Court Last year, it confirms the safety and effectiveness of Mifepriston in the case This finally left intact access to the abortion of medicines.
Kennedy also said during the interrogation that he was supporting Trump’s policy regarding the family planning program X, including blocking federal funds from going to all organizations that they perform or direct patients for abortion.
Federal law prevents taxpayers’ dollars from abortion, with exceptions regarding rape, incest or life of a pregnant patient.
Emergency treatment
Kennedy was not familiar with federal law, which provides patients with emergency healthcare, regardless of the insurance status.
Law, known as the Act on the treatment of rescue and work, i.e. Emtal, was a point of sturdy dispute between the countries controlled by republican and the Biden administration after the Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion in 2022.
It is the subject of a continuous case reached the Supreme Court Before sending to the District Court, who heard the arguments in December.
Nevada Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto asked Kennedy a series of questions about protection at Emtal during the hearing, starting from whether a woman experiencing a heart attack should look after this federal law regardless of her insurance status.
Kennedy said yes. But he said that he did not know if the law would protect a woman experiencing life -threatening bleeding from incomplete miscarriage, whom the doctor said that he needs abortion.
Kennedy tried to answer the next question of Cortez Masto about what HHS authorities must enforce Emtal in hospitals that they receive medicare funds saying that he thought he had budget power, but nothing more.
Medicare and Medicaid service centers, she said: “In fact, he is investigating complaints regarding the violations of Emtali, as well as the General Inspector for Health and Human Services, who, by the way, was recently released by Donald Trump.”
“So you will enforce Emtal’s rights and it is important to understand their influence and not play politics when the patient presents himself on the ER based on the position that this administration has taken,” said Cortez Masto.
Cassidy questions about medicaid
Kennedy was similarly trying to answer the questions of the Republican senator Loul Cassidy on Medicare and Medicaid, in the stock exchange, which can lead to significant obstacles to his confirmation if Cassidy does not support him.
Cassidy – doctor and chairman of the Health, Education, Work and Retirement Committee, who on Thursday conducts hearing confirming Kennedy – asked Kennedy many times how Medicaid corrected.
Kennedy mentioned his criticism of the program before he said that states should experiment with pilot programs and that the goals should be care based on values, transparency and responsibility.
Kennedy said that there were also many options through telemedicine and artificial intelligence before he talked about AI nurses.
Kennedy, when asked by Cassidy about people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, said that he thinks that the answer is: “The programs are consolidated that they are integrated and care is integrated.”
But Kennedy, when he pressed how he could deal with it, he had no answer. He also got basic facts about Medicaid, including costs that are divided between federal and state rule, incorrect.
“I’m not entirely sure, because I’m not there,” said Kennedy. “I mean that it is difficult to integrate them, because Medicare is on a fee for the service and is paid by taxes from employers. Medicaid is fully paid by the federal government and this is not a service fee. So I don’t know the answer to it. I am looking forward to examining the options with you. “
Kennedy said in response to the question of Cassida about the differences between classic Medicare and Medicare Advantage that people have a choice “now”, although he said that he expected more people would like to be in Medicare Advantage, if not for more high-priced price.
Covid-19 claims
Another, potentially harmful exchange of Kennedy’s confirmation prospects, occurred when a democratic Senator Michael Bennet asked a series of questions about previous statements that Kennedy made on various public health issues.
“Mr. Kennedy, did you say that Covid-19 was a genetically modified bivotian, who attacks black and white people, but spared ashkenazi Jews and Chinese?” Asked Bennet.
Kennedy replied that “he did not say he was intentionally attacked.”
Kennedy said that “probably” commented that Lyme’s disease was a military breed.
Kennedy said he wasn’t sure if he wrote in one of his books that “it is undeniable that African AIDS is a completely different disease than Western AIDS,” as Bennet’s question.
Kennedy, however, denied the making statements that pesticides make children transgender.
Bennet said that Kennedy’s earlier statements would have in the official register of the committee.
Last updated 19:06, January 29, 2025
