RFK Jr. tells senators he won't impose his vaccine opinions at HHS, will empower scientists

Jan. 30 (UPI) -- As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced skeptical senators Thursday in the second day of his confirmation hearing to lead the department of Health and Human Services, Louisiana's Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy confronted Kennedy about vaccines.

The Thursday hearing was conducted before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Cassidy questioned Kennedy about his history of anti-vaccine activism, pressing him multiple times about whether he would discourage vaccines as HHS secretary.

He asked if Kennedy could be trusted on vaccines.

Kennedy said he would not "go into HHS and impose my preordained opinions on anybody at HHS. I'm going to empower the scientists to do their job."

Cassidy, a gastroenterologist doctor, tried to get Kennedy to say definitively whether or not he would clearly state that hepatitis B and measles vaccines do not cause autism.

Kennedy hedged, replying that, if the data is there, he would. So Cassidy asked again, offering to supply the data.

Kennedy said he would declare that vaccines don't cause autism if he got that data from Cassidy.

During the hearing, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., challenged Kennedy on his comments that Black people have stronger immune reactions so they "need fewer antigens."

Alsobrooks told him that view is dangerous. She told him she will oppose his nomination "because your views are dangerous to our state and to our country."

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, questioned Kennedy on vaccines and herd immunity, as well as Lyme disease.

Kennedy told her he will fight hard for a Lyme disease treatment and believes the polio vaccine is safe.

According a Washington Post report, Kennedy proposed different vaccine schedules for Black people than for White people because Kennedy said he believed Black immune systems are stronger.

That report said Kennedy has falsely linked vaccines to autism and has "repeatedly disparaged vaccines."

NBC News reported that in 2021 Kennedy produced a film falsely claiming the Covid-19 vaccine was part of an experiment on Black communities.

Kennedy was asked by Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., if he stands by the charge that wifi radiation causes cancer.

Kennedy said yes and said he won an appeals court case against the FCC on that issue.

The Kennedy nomination hearing before the Senate Finance Committee was held Wednesday, during which Kennedy denied that he had taken an anti-vaccine stance.

Kennedy said at that hearing that all his kids are vaccinated and said he was "pro-safety."

Even though he will head HHS if confirmed, overseeing Medicare and Medicaid, Kennedy incorrectly answered the basic question of what Medicare Part A is for.

Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H. told him, "Mr. Kennedy, you want us to confirm you to be in charge of Medicare, but it appears that you don't know the basics of this program."

Hassan said on X, "Instead of standing by his past statements, he made it clear he'll do whatever Trump tells him to do -- including restricting reproductive health care."