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Feb. 13 (UPI) -- In a near party-line vote, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as the Trump administration's Health and Human Services secretary on Thursday morning. Later in the afternoon, he was sworn in by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.
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Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was the only lawmaker to cross the aisle and vote with Democrats against Kennedy, but it didn't matter in the 52-48 vote to approve his nomination despite contentious confirmation hearings over vaccines and other controversial health care statements.
The son of the late Robert F. Kennedy, nephew of President John F. Kennedy, is an environmental attorney by trade with no health care experience.
Kennedy will now lead a wide range of federal health care agencies that include healthcare coverage for the elderly and poor, drug approval, food industry along with examining potential worldwide health threats such as outbreaks and pandemics.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, one of the senators on the fence about Kennedy, said he gave her reassurances about his belief in the effectiveness of vaccines.
"He has made numerous commitments to me and my colleagues, promising to work with Congress to ensure public access to information and to base vaccine recommendations on data-driven, evidence-based, and medically sound research," Murkowski said on X before the vote.
"These commitments are important to me and, on balance, provide assurance for my vote."
McConnell, who is a childhood polio survivor, said Kennedy failed to convince him that he was up for the job.
"Mr. Kennedy failed to prove he is the best possible person to lead America's largest health agency," McConnell said. "As he takes office, I sincerely hope Mr. Kennedy will choose not to sow further doubt and division but restore trust in our public health institutions."
