RFK Jr. Receives Thunderous Applause As He Arrives To Senate Confirmation Hearing

Department of Health and Human Services secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. arrived at his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday morning and was welcomed with a thunderous applause.

As Kennedy arrived before the Finance Committee, his supporters lined up inside and outside the Senate hearing in an attempt to hear Kennedy answer questions from senators.

Watch here:

BREAKING: RFK Jr arrives to the Senate to cheers and applause pic.twitter.com/oMUpdodsLK

— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) January 29, 2025

RFK Jr. just arrived to his confirmation hearing to thunderous applauses and patriots chanting, "WE LOVE YOU, BOBBY!" pic.twitter.com/rHmxusEnnL

— George (@BehizyTweets) January 29, 2025

Per AP:

To get to the U.S. Senate for a vote of his nomination, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. needs to have two committee hearings, one before the Finance committee on Wednesday and another in front of the Health, Education, Labor and Pension committee on Thursday.

Oversight of the U.S. Health and Human Services agencies is shared between the two committees. The finance committee is involved because the sprawling $1.7 trillion agency is responsible for a huge part of the nation’s economy — overseeing insurance for nearly half the country, funneling billions of dollars to the states for Medicaid and providing health insurance for the nation’s older Americans through Medicare.

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Meanwhile, the HELP committee also has oversight of the agency’s program and agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration.

As Kennedy’s Senate confirmation hearings begin, his bid to become the nation’s top health official could depend on how staunchly he sticks to these personal beliefs during questioning. He has already softened some of his long-held views.

Take a look at the lines:

Still over an hour before the hearing and supporters for RFK Jr are showing up BIG!

pic.twitter.com/o0EGRksax5

— Anna Matson (@AnnaRMatson) January 29, 2025

Per The Washington Post:

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s controversial selection to run the Department of Health and Human Services, begins two days of confirmation hearings before Senate committees on Wednesday. Kennedy is expected to face questions about his position on vaccines, abortion and other major health-care issues.

He has been critical of vaccines for years and founded Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine group. In public statements, Kennedy has repeatedly said he is not anti-vaccine. Meanwhile, former vice president Mike Pence and his conservative advocacy group have raised concerns about Kennedy’s past support for abortion. Kennedy, who has vowed to make combating chronic diseases a focal point if confirmed, appears to have a narrow path to securing the HHS post. If all Senate Democrats vote against his nomination, Kennedy can afford to lose only three Republicans.