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LAST UPDATE | 29 Jan
ROBERT F. JENNEDY Jr told a US Senate confirmation hearing today that he supports President Donald Trump’s anti-abortion policies.
Trump’s appointment for Health Secretary also claimed at the make-or-break hearing that he was “pro-vaccine”.
Kennedy has been grilled on his history of promoting vaccine misinformation, as well as plans to upend US science agencies.
RFK Jr., a son of the Democratic Kennedy dynasty and one of the most prominent vaccine sceptics in the US, looks set to take the helm of a department overseeing more than 80,000 employees and a $1.7 trillion budget.
To get to the US Senate for a vote of his nomination, Kennedy needs to have two committee hearings, one before the Finance committee today and another in front of the Health, Education, Labour and Pension committee tomorrow.
Critics argue he is dangerously unqualified, citing his promotion of debunked claims linking childhood vaccines to autism, his suggestion that HIV does not cause AIDS, and accusations that he fueled anti-measles vaccine sentiment in Samoa during a 2019 visit, months before a deadly outbreak.
Kennedy was vocal in his support for Trump’s anti-abortion policies, including ending federal funding for the procedure at home and abroad and protecting conscious exemptions for anti-abortion health workers.
“I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy. I agree with him that we cannot be a moral nation if we have 1.2 million abortions a year,” he told the Senate confirmation hearing.
It was not immediately clear what figure he was citing. The Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health policy and research group, estimates there were just over a million US abortions in 2023.
“President Trump has told me that he wants to end late-term abortions. He wants to protect conscious exemptions,” Kennedy added.
Kennedy was previously assumed to be pro-choice, with his presidential campaign site featuring some quotes which seem to contradict hardline pro-life views.
“I’m for choice and medical freedom. We need to trust mothers to make the best decisions,” a quote attributed to Kennedy says on the site.
In a campaign video last June, Kennedy said he believes that “abortion should be legal up until a certain number of weeks and restricted thereafter”.
“I have never seen any major politician flip on that issue quite as quickly as you did when President Trump tapped you to become HHS secretary,” Senator Bernie Sanders said during the hearing, noting Kennedy had until recently supported abortion rights.
"When was it that you decided to sell out the values you've had your whole life in order to be given power by President Trump?"
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) January 29, 2025
Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) questions RFK Jr. on reproductive rights and bodily autonomy.https://t.co/AF0caOM2TI pic.twitter.com/S14CPk3Kvb
Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan produced a sign quoting Kennedy during the hearing, which read: ‘We need to trust the women to make that choice, because I don’t trust government to make any choices. Well, particularly when it comes to bodily autonomy’. Kennedy agreed that he had said this
Hassan asked Kennedy when he decided to “sell out the values you’ve had your whole life” in order to be given power by Trump.
Kennedy said he agreed with Trump that “every abortion is a tragedy”.
Kennedy, who has spent decades fueling misinformation around vaccines, told a Senate hearing that he was not anti-vaccine but “pro-safety”.
Citing a book he wrote in 2014, Kennedy said “The first line of it is, I am not anti-vaccine, and the last line is, I am not anti-vaccine.”
“News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry – I am neither,” RFK Jr. told the hearing.
“You lie” a protestor responded.
Oregon Senator Ron Wyden warned Kennedy’s embrace of “conspiracy theories” on vaccines make him unsuitable for the US’s top health post.
“Peddling these anti-vaccine conspiracy theories as our nation’s chief health officer is going to endanger the lives of kids and seniors across the nation,” Wyden said in his opening statement.
Kennedy has previously said there’s “no vaccine that is safe and effective”.
In further remarks, Wyden warned of the consequences of Kennedy’s proposal to “freeze” federal research on infectious diseases for eight years.
“I’ve reached the conclusion that he should not be entrusted with the health of the American people,” Wyden said.
Kennedy was later questioned by Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders, who grilled the Health Secretary hopeful for selling baby onesies that read “UNVAXXED, UNAFRAID” and “NO VAX, NO PROBLEM”.
The onesies were sold by Children’s Health Defense, a US-based anti-accine lobbying group chaired by RFK Jr from 2015 to 2023.
“You’re coming before this committee and you’re saying you’re pro-vaccine, you just want to ask some questions,” Sanders said.
“Yet your organisation is making money selling a child’s product to parents for 26 bucks which casts fundamental doubt on the usefulness of vaccines.”
Asked if he would “take these products off the market, Kennedy said he has “no power” over the organisation.
“I’m not part of it, I resigned from the board,” he added.
.@SenSanders: "Are you supportive of these onesies?"
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 29, 2025
WATCH: Exchange between Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. over onesies. pic.twitter.com/YGj3vfiGqG
Kennedy has repeatedly stated widely debunked claims about vaccinations.
One of his main false claims – which he repeated in a 2023 interview with Fox News – is that “autism comes from vaccines”.
Additional reporting from AFP
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39 hour contracts and €20 per hour might resolve the issue. Proper pay and conditions for all workers
@Thomas O’Connor: don’t worry the bosses will still get their huge pay and expenses etc.
So many instructions. Come early for your flight, don’t come too early for your flights. What an absolute mess!!!
@Thomas Meaney: That’s just 2 instructions?
@Thomas Meaney: you’re right, so many instructions but they haven’t got a clue what they’re doing. we were flying out last Friday at 6am. Got to the airport at 2.30am as instructed – 3.5 hours before departure time. Aer Lingus bag drop didn’t open until 3am,security didn’t open until 4am – not a member of staff to be seen or an announcement been made. Shambles.
@Thomas O’ Donnell: good man. Straight to the top of the class and collect a gold star.
And don’t forget to try get parking, completely sold out. Some car parks(including staff ones) still not open since covid. Covid test centre getting priority still. Well done DAA. You’ve been caught with you pants down, trying to be smart and pay off staff and employ new ones on cheap contracts. And a new runway with further capacity, place will be in a right heap.
@Peter O Donnell: They do hold about 20% back for those who turn up, only downside is it’s 12 euro per day. Happened to me back in October, Red car park full so ended up paying the 12 euro for a 6 week trip.
@Dermot Walsh: what car park was 12euro per day?
@Dermot Walsh: €12 per day, sounds quite cheap. I paid €90 for last weekend, that was in the short term.
@Elaine Fagan: fair play to you for coming on here and admitting that you’re a complete numpty.
@Pat Kelly: ???
@Pat Kelly: Smart Numpty, that’s me, you’re right. What I pay for parking is cheaper than public transport and or taxis to and from the airport.
@Elaine Fagan: And it would be cheaper still if you parked in the long term car park. €90 for parking over the weekend would suggest that either
(A) you’re not short of dosh or
(B) you just don’t get it.
Short termism yet again. You’d think they’d have anticipated this when they laid off all those staff originally. Now the customer is penalised because DAA couldn’t get their act together.
Arrive at least 3.5 hours before your flight, unless your flight is before 8am. Then arrive not too early, but early enough…
@Ciarán O’ Donoghue: reminds me of Boris Johnson’s covid advice: you must stay home unless…
They’ve ruined what used to be a fantastic service and great place to work. Ceo Dalton Philips has to go!
Does anyone know if Dublin Express coach service to Dublin Airport picks up passengers at Heuston Station? Their website says they do, but there’s no sign outside the station (where the other buses stop) for them.
The Husband travelled on Sunday and said security was fine, no queues. But when he got through security, there was no food in the pub or restaurants because so many people had arrived so long before their flight! There wasn’t even sandwiches in the US area. They told people to come early and now its causing a whole different problem.
Sounds like a wheel of fortune too early one day,too late the next.
They have been advertising on Facebook for weeks now looking for security staff, they disabled the comments section because of the abuse they were getting!
Daa management need to go. This is disgraceful. No respect for travellers. In a normal airport 1 hrs with only hand baggage should be enough. Management are clearly unprofessional. The government should take issue and hire people who have professionally managed efficient airports such as Singapore Zurich, Abuja
Think: ‘Goldy Locke’s Porraige’ but with a passport. Apologies for incorrect spelling of Porraige’
Arrived at 540am this morning , 5 minutes through security, Terminal 1, all very efficient
@Clive Bellows: They’re talking about Easter, Clive. That’s the weekend, not today.
Come early mantra always suited them before. Nothing to do with the added benefit of funneling people through a shopping centre with extra time on there hands…
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