Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, testified at his confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. Vowing to ensure that American tax dollars “support healthy foods,” he highlighted his interest in integrating nutrition in federal health programs in the United States, particularly for kids, investigating the link between food and health, and minimizing economic and regulatory burdens on food producers.
Over the sound of both heckling and applause, Kennedy promised to do everything in his power to put the health of Americans —which he describes as currently in a “grievous condition”— back on track. Senator Bennet (D-CO), who agreed with the nominee on little else, conceded “Mr. Kennedy is right” regarding declining health in the U.S. and poor food quality offered to children.
Kennedy told the Finance Committee Members that he wants to educate Americans about the relationship between the food they consume and their health, empowering citizens to make informed food choices. He confirmed, however, that he has no desire to deny Americans processed foods.
“If you like a McDonald’s cheeseburger or Diet Coke, which my boss loves, you should be able to get them. If you want to eat Hostess Twinkies, you should be able to do that. But you should know what the impacts are on your family and on your health.”
He promised to scrutinize chemical additives in the U.S. food supply and deploy the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to conduct research on the link between food additives and chronic disease.
Kennedy emphasized that he is “not the enemy of food producers,” and recognizes American farms as the bedrock of U.S. culture and national security. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), lauding Montana farmers and ranchers as environmental stewards ensuring the safety of our food supply, commended and emphasized his agreement with Kennedy’s “view that protecting the integrity and safety of our food supply is of utmost importance.”
Kennedy highlighted his intent to work in collaboration with farmers and the agencies that support and regulate them to remove burdensome regulations and “unleash American ingenuity.”
The nominee said President Trump “has specifically instructed me that he wants farmers involved in every policy and that he wants me to work with Brooke Rollins at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make sure that we preserve American farmers, that all of our policies support them.” He also noted his hope to work with the USDA to incentivize a transition to what he describes as regenerative, no-till agriculture that is less chemically intensive.
Responding to Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID)’s question about integrating nutrition-based interventions into federal healthcare programs, Kennedy cited Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and school meal programs, both USDA programs, as opportunities for interventions. We should not, Kennedy says, be spending 10 percent of the SNAP program on sugary drinks, nor giving 60 percent of the kids in school processed food that is making them sick.
Asked by Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) about how he would approach the CDC’s response to bird flu, which, according to the CDC, is causing multi-state outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows with several recent human cases, Kennedy said he would devote “the appropriate resources” to preventing pandemics.
But some senators, including Bennet and Ron Wyden (D-OR), called into question Kennedy’s preparedness for the role as Secretary of Health, calling his past criticism of vaccines alarming. “The receipts show that Mr. Kennedy has embraced conspiracy theories, quacks, charlatans, especially when it comes to the safety and efficacy of vaccines. He has made it his life’s work to sow doubt and discourage parents from getting their kids life-saving vaccines,” Wyden says. “It has been lucrative for him and put him on the verge of immense power.”
Kennedy faces another confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. The Finance Committee members will then vote on Kennedy’s nomination before sending it to the Senate for a full vote.
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Photo courtesy of Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia
