By Ahmed Aboulentean
WASHINGTON (REUTERS) – The US Senate Committee for Finance should vote on Tuesday about the promotion of President Donald Trump’s candidate for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to the entire Senate for a confirmation voice.
If confirmed, he will run the US Department of Health and Human Services, which supervises more than $ 3 trillion in health care expenditure, including agencies such as the food and drug administration and the agency responsible for Medicare and Medicaid Health Programs who offer health insurance for more than 140 million Americans.
Familiar news and daily pleasure, exactly in your inbox
Watch yourself-the Yodel is the source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories.
Kennedy has had to deal with the opposition of health groups, democrats, family members and the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post editor, who say he is unsuitable for the job because of his role in the anti-vaccine movement.
Kennedy has long sown doubts about the safety and efficacy of vaccines that have helped the disease and have already prevented deaths for decades. He disputes the characterization of the anti-vaccine and said that he would not prevent Americans from getting inoculations.
Bill Cassidy, member of the Republican Committee, a doctor who is also chairman of the Healthcare, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, is seen as an important vote after he said during a confirmation hearing last week that he was struggling with the decision as a doctor.
All Democrats in the committee are expected to oppose Kennedy. If Cassidy comes to them, he could probably put the nomination in his mark. Mike Crapo, chairman of the Senate Committee, said that Kennedy has his voice and deserves to be confirmed.
The committee guided by the Republicans can vote to promote Kennedy favorably, unfavorable or without recommendation. It can also choose not to promote him at all.
Even if Kennedy does not protect the support of the committee, the Senate led by the Republicans could maneuver to bypass the panel, but such movements are exceptionally rare.
Kennedy needs the support of at least 50 senators, so that vice-president JD Vance could make a tie-breaking mood to confirm his nomination.
The Senate controlled by the Republicans has so far rejected none of the nominees of Trump. His controversial Minister of Defense, Pete Hegseeth, squeezed in a 51-50 mood after Vance was needed to break a draw in January.
The Senate Information Committee must be concluded on Tuesday to vote behind closed doors for the former American representative Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to become director of National Intelligence, another Trump candidate who is confronted with an uncertain road to confirmation.
(Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; adaptation by Caroline Humer and Alistair Bell)