Failed presidential candidate Mike Pence's group fights RFK Jr. confirmation
President-elect Donald Trump nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as health and human services secretary and tasked him with making America healthy again.
"For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health," Trump wrote in his November announcement, adding that under Kennedy, HHS "will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country."
Former Vice President Mike Pence, whose failed 2024 presidential campaign drew plenty of sizeable donations from industries potentially affected by such a health campaign, highlighted on Wednesday that his organization, Advancing American Freedom, is still leaning on U.S. senators to undermine Kennedy's confirmation.
Advancing American Freedom, which seeks in part to roll back corporate regulations, suggested in a Jan. 14 letter to Republican senators that its opposition was informed by Kennedy's past support for abortion, which has fluctuated over the years.
The New York Times noted that Kennedy initially endorsed federal restrictions on abortion last year but then said elsewhere that women should be able to have their unborn children killed without any government-imposed limits.
'He told me he believes there are far too many abortions in the US.'
Following significant backlash, Kennedy stated, "Abortion should be legal up until a certain number of weeks, and restricted thereafter," adding that a child's viability outside the womb was the point at which abortion should be illegal.
While Kennedy's position on abortion is likely unsettling for many pro-lifers, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley (R) revealed last month that Kennedy has "committed to me to reinstate President Trump's prolife policies at HHS. That includes reinstating the Mexico City policy & ending taxpayer funding for abortions domestically."
"He supports reinstating the bar on Title X funds going to organizations that promote abortion," continued Hawley. "He pledged to reverse the Biden Admin's Section 1557 rule and also said all of his deputies at HHS would be prolife. He told me he believes there are far too many abortions in the US and that we cannot be the moral leader of the free world with abortion rates so high."
Nevertheless, Pence's group said in a letter this week, "While RFK Jr. has made certain overtures to pro-life leaders that he would be mindful of their concerns at HHS, there is little reason for confidence at this time."
"Whatever the merits of RFK Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again initiative — indeed, whatever other qualities a nominee might possess — an HHS Secretary must have a firm commitment to protect unborn children, or else bend under the pressure and pushback surrounding these daily, critical decisions," added AAF.
Like his group, Pence has similarly attacked Kennedy's candidacy, urging Senate Republicans to "reject this nomination and give the American people a leader who will respect the sanctity of life as secretary of Health and Human Services."
In addition to vowing to protect American youth from the sex-change regime, Kennedy indicated that as HHS secretary, he would work to eliminate retarding levels of fluoride from drinking water; clean house at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; ban widely used chemicals in order to "stop the mass poisoning of American children"; and ensure that Americans have "good information" about vaccines.
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