Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has conferences with over a dozen senators over the following two days, together with prime progressive Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., along with others within the Democratic caucus.
President-elect Donald Trump introduced final 12 months that RFK Jr. was his choose to steer the Division of Well being and Human Companies (HHS) in his second administration. For the reason that information broke, Kennedy has been on Capitol Hill assembly with varied senators.
Up till this level, he had solely met with Republicans within the higher chamber. However on Wednesday, Kennedy begins his sit-downs with a handful of Democrats, who might be essential to his getting confirmed.
Kennedy, a former Democrat and impartial presidential candidate, will attend conferences with Democratic caucus members, Sens. Catherine Cortez-Masto of Nevada, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Michael Bennet of Colorado, Mark Warner of Virginia, Warren and Sanders.
The one-on-ones with Democrats are coming as a number of within the occasion have expressed openness to a few of Kennedy’s positions, significantly because it pertains to agriculture and meals manufacturing.
However a few of those self same coverage stances pose a possible drawback for his assist amongst Republicans within the Senate.
He will even be becoming a member of Sens. Jim Banks, R-Ind., Invoice Cassidy, R-La., Susan Collins, R-Maine, John Cornyn, R-Texas and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, for conferences on the hill this week.
Grassley is one in all a handful of Republicans which have flagged considerations relating to Kennedy’s positions on agriculture and the way they might have an effect on farmers.
“They’ve got to be able to use modern farming techniques, and that involves a lot of things, not only really sophisticated equipment, but also fertilizers and pesticides. So, we have to have that conversation,” Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., not too long ago advised reporters.
Grassley beforehand emphasised the necessity for genetic engineering to maintain up with meals demand and feed the nation.
Nonetheless, others have expressed confidence that Kennedy will make the correct requires farmers. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., stated he warned Kennedy to not go “overboard” with agriculture laws throughout their assembly final 12 months.
He added that Trump’s HHS choose was “very on board” and “understands our farmers are in trouble, and we want to make sure that we have farmers that can make a living.”
After Kennedy endorsed Trump forward of the 2024 election, the 2 debuted their marketing campaign to “Make America Healthy Again.”
This slogan has been adopted by a caucus fashioned by some Senate Republicans who’re supporting Kennedy for the HHS position and hope to facilitate his and Trump’s insurance policies to advertise well being within the nation.
