Cantwell Votes NO On Advancing RFK Jr. for HHS Secretary: “The Kind Of Research We’re Talking About Here Is The Kind That Saves Lives”

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, voted against closing debate on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – President Trump’s nominee to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services – and advancing toward his final confirmation vote.
In a speech delivered on the Senate floor, Sen. Cantwell urged her colleagues to follow suit, cautioning that“President Trump’s nominee would get us stuck in conspiracy theories that would cost us lives.”
“Now we are at the possibility of the beginning of another crisis, the avian flu. This crisis is yet another reminder of the importance of medical research and collaboration,”Sen. Cantwell said.“Does it make sense to cut science at the time we might have another pandemic? Does it make sense to continue to cut the collaborative efforts of research?”
“My state is a global leader in medical innovation. From research, to biotech, to getting drugs to the market -- in 2023 the National Institutes of Health awarded $1.2 billion in highly competitive grants to 65 different organizations in the State of Washington. This supported about 12,000 jobs and generated close to $3 billion in economic activity. So yes, we know a little something about global health and innovation,”Sen. Cantwell continued.“The kind of research we're talking about here is the kind that saves lives. And this, ultimately, is about making an investment in saving the lives of people.”
The Senate ultimately voted to invoke cloture on RFK Jr.’s nomination, 53-47. His final confirmation vote is currently scheduled for tomorrow morning.
Last week, Sen. Cantwellvoted noon advancing RFK Jr.’s nomination out of the Senate Finance Committee, citing his waffling on the safety of vaccines. Her no vote followed a committee hearing in January, when Sen. Cantwellgrilled himon his anti-science and anti-vaccine views, and his promise tocut 600 employees from the National Institutes of Health.
For decades, Sen. Cantwell has remained a staunch supporter of medical innovation and evidence-based science,including treatments for fentanyl addiction,abortion,vaccinations,stem cell research,and more.
Video of Sen. Cantwell’s speech on the Senate floor today is availableHERE, audioHERE, and transcriptHERE.