WASHINGTON ― Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) delivered a fiery rebuke Thursday of President Donald Trump’s well being and human companies nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and his historical past of fanning conspiracy theories about vaccines, changing into emotional as she described elevating a son with cerebral palsy and the necessity to construct on settled science.
Throughout Kennedy’s affirmation listening to, Hassan known as it “disturbing” that some Republicans have accused Democrats of opposing Kennedy’s nomination for partisan causes. In reality, she mentioned, Democratic senators take their function severely in terms of vetting potential Cupboard secretaries, and plenty of have issues about Kennedy’s mistrust of science.
“It’s possible you’ll not know that I’m the proud mom of a 36-year-old younger man with extreme cerebral palsy,” Hassan mentioned, choking up. “A day doesn’t go by once I don’t take into consideration, ‘What did I do once I was pregnant with him which may have prompted the hydrocephalus that has so impacted his life?’”
The New Hampshire Democrat condemned the suggestion that any senator, in both celebration, doesn’t need to know what causes autism.
“Have you learnt what number of mates I’ve with kids who’ve autism?” she requested, her voice rising. “The issue with this witness’ response on the autism trigger and the connection to vaccines is as a result of he’s relitigating and churning settled science. So we will’t go ahead and discover out what the reason for autism is and deal with these youngsters and assist these households.”
Instantly addressing Kennedy, Hassan referenced a well known and now-debunked 1998 examine linking vaccines and autism, saying it “rocked my world” and left her apprehensive “like several mom” about whether or not vaccines had “accomplished one thing” to her son. In reality, that examine, which solely concerned 12 kids and went on to be extensively reviewed, turned out to be incorrect. The medical journal that initially revealed it retracted it.
“Typically science is incorrect. We make progress,” mentioned the New Hampshire Democrat. “If you proceed to sow doubt about settled science, it makes it inconceivable for us to maneuver ahead. In order that’s what the issue is right here.”
Kennedy didn’t say something in response as Hassan moved on with questions on Medicaid. When she wrapped up, individuals within the viewers clapped.
It’s not clear if Kennedy has the votes to be confirmed. His report of spreading vaccine misinformation and his shaky understanding of how federal well being packages work have alarmed senators in each events. He additionally has to clear two Senate panels: the Finance Committee, which held its affirmation listening to Wednesday, and the Well being, Schooling, Labor and Pensions Committee, which held Thursday’s listening to.
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Kennedy didn’t accomplish that nicely in Wednesday’s listening to, flubbing fundamental questions from Sen. Invoice Cassidy (R-La.), who’s a doctor, about how Medicaid works. And on Thursday, he raised eyebrows together with his responses to questions on vaccine security from Cassidy, who chairs the well being panel. The Louisiana Republican has been mum on whether or not he’ll assist Kennedy’s nomination.
Trump first started contemplating Kennedy for the Cupboard submit after Kennedy dropped his presidential bid in opposition to him in August.