The Senate Finance Committee advanced Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination Tuesday, moving forward with his confirmation to lead the Department of Health and Human Services after a pair of fiery hearings last week that left his approval on shaky ground.
The committee voted 14 to 13 to advance Kennedy in a party-line vote.
Though the bulk of Republicans on the committee were expected to support advancing Kennedy’s nomination, Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican and medical doctor, expressed concern over the president’s pick for HHS secretary during RFK Jr.’s confirmation hearings.
Cassidy said last week that he had been “struggling” with Kennedy’s nomination because he fears RFK Jr., who has raised doubts about vaccines in the past, could undermine faith in vaccines. Cassidy spoke to Kennedy on Sunday, according to a person familiar with their conversation, though the Louisiana senator did not disclose how he planned to vote following their conversation.
But Cassidy, who is up for reelection in 2026, ultimately opted to support advancing Kennedy’s nomination on Tuesday.Â
Moments ahead of the vote, Cassidy announced that he would support Kennedy in a post on X, saying he had “very intense conversations with Bobby and the White House over the weekend and even this morning,” while thanking Vice President JD Vance for his “honest counsel.”
“With the serious commitments I’ve received from the administration and the opportunity to make progress on the issues we agree on like healthy foods and a pro-American agenda, I will vote yes,” Cassidy said.
Read the full report from CBS News.
