Illinois senator slams RFK Jr. as 'unqualified, unfit, and dangerous' after health secretary confirmation

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin released a statement Thursday morning after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed by the Senate as the country's new Secretary of Health and Human Services.

With Republicans holding a 53-47 majority in the Senate, the vote to confirm President Trump’s controversial nominee passed 52-48, with former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as the only Republican to vote against Kennedy.

Ahead of the confirmation, Kennedy testified before both the Finance and Health Committees. His confirmation appeared uncertain after facing tough questioning from both Republicans and Democrats on the committees.

What they're saying:

After voting against RFK Jr.'s confirmation, Durbin released the following statement. 

"HHS is a life or death department. Every day, federal health officials decide whether to approve a new medication, initiate a recall over a contaminated food, investigate new therapies for cancer clinical trials, or alert doctors about an emerging disease outbreak. In any of these tasks, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is unqualified, unfit, and dangerous to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

"He has spewed harmful conspiracy theories about life-saving vaccines, lacks a basic grasp of our health care system, and approaches the job with an unacceptable bias. For the sake of our children and future generations who will suffer the most from his lies, I vehemently opposed his nomination. I wish my Republican colleagues would have done the same."

Who is RFK Jr.?

The backstory:

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the son of Democratic icon Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968 during his own presidential campaign. 

The 71-year-old, whose famous name and family tragedies have put him in the national spotlight since he was a child, has spent years airing his populist — and sometimes controversial — views in podcasts, TV interviews and speeches, building his own quixotic brand.

RFK's stance on vaccinations 

Kennedy's numerous remarks, anti-vaccine nonprofit and lawsuits against immunizations were all topics for senators through his confirmation process.

He's rejected the anti-vaccine label, instead casting himself as a crusader for "medical freedom" who wants more research. He and Trump have vowed not to "take away" vaccines. To defuse criticism, he resigned from the Children’s Health Defense, his nonprofit that has filed dozens of lawsuits against vaccines, including government authorizations of some of them.

In his opening statement at a hearing last month, Kennedy rejected the ‘anti-vaccine’ label, telling senators he’s not anti-vaccine but has asked "uncomfortable questions."

While Kennedy has called vaccines unsafe, in his opening remarks he said all of his children are vaccinated.

"I believe that vaccines play a critical role in health care," Kennedy told the committee.

Caroline Kennedy wrote a scathing letter Tuesday encouraging the U.S. Senate to deny the nomination of her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to be President Donald Trump's health secretary. In the letter to senators obtained by the Associated Press, she called Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a "predator" who is addicted to power.

What does the Health and Human Services secretary do?

Big picture view:

Health and Human Services has a broad reach across the lives of Americans, including inspecting the nation’s food, regulating medicines and overseeing research of diseases and cures. It provides health insurance for nearly half of the country — poor, disabled and older Americans, including via Medicare. 

The agency oversees a $1.7-trillion budget.