Senate Republicans are getting ready to probe Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on his pro-choice stance after the previous presidential candidate was chosen by President-elect Trump to be his nominee to move the Division of Well being and Human Companies.
Kennedy, a former Democrat, has involved a variety of Senate Republicans over his espoused views on abortion. His former presidential marketing campaign reportedly mentioned he believed it “ought to be left as much as the girl and her physician.”
Over the summer season, Kennedy shared a video on social media, writing in a submit, “I assist the rising consensus that abortion ought to be unrestricted up till a sure level.”
He steered that this restrict ought to be “when the child is viable exterior the womb.” Viability is known to happen round 24 weeks gestation.
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RFK Jr.’s choice by Trump for HHS is stirring some considerations amongst Republicans. (Reuters I iStock)
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., a staunch pro-life advocate, advised Fox Information Digital, “It will come up within the listening to 100%. There isn’t any query that this shall be a problem. I’ll elevate it if nobody else does.”
He defined that his workplace is compiling an inventory of “all the issues that the primary Trump administration did for all times by way of HHS, as a result of they had been very lively in that space.”
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Lankford is a pro-life advocate. (Reuters)
Lankford pointed to HHS’ work when it got here to conscience protections for abortion and taking up Deliberate Parenthood as examples.
“There’s a whole lot of issues that they did in the course of the first Trump administration by way of HHS. So, we’re compiling that checklist, and that’ll positively be my checklist of questions,” he mentioned.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., a member of the Senate Committee on Well being, Schooling, Labor and Pensions, mentioned, “There’s a number of questions I need to discuss to him about.”
He defined he wished to see precisely what RFK Jr.’s place is — “How far? What month?”
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Tuberville says he plans to ask Kennedy questions. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Photos)
HELP committee rating member Invoice Cassidy, R-La., mentioned, “We’ll do our due diligence, however I am positive anyone will ask that. How may they not?”
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., advised Fox Information Digital abortion was a priority of his relating to RFK Jr.
Whereas a number of Republicans are cautious about Trump’s decide for HHS, some expressed confidence that he would act consistent with the administration.
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“I might totally anticipate any of Trump’s nominees to be pro-life, as is President Trump,” mentioned Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C.
However, he mentioned, “It does must be addressed.”
“I imagine what he’ll do is do the appropriate factor,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., mentioned of RFK Jr.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., advised Fox Information Digital “he’ll be requested a query, and we’ll see how he solutions. And we’ll take it from there.”
An unoccupied restoration space, left, and an abortion process room at a Deliberate Parenthood Arizona heart in Tempe, Ariz., June 30, 2022. (AP Picture/Matt York, File)
Katie Miller, a Trump-Vance transition spokesperson, advised Fox Information Digital in a press release, “Mr. Kennedy has each intention of supporting President Trump’s agenda to the fullest extent. That is President Trump’s administration that Robert F. Kennedy has been requested to serve in, and he’ll perform the insurance policies Individuals overwhelmingly voted for in President Trump’s historic victory.”
The considerations aired by Senate Republicans come as some conservative and pro-life teams have already sounded the alarm bell on the HHS decide.
“I imagine the nomination of RFK Jr. to function secretary of HHS is an abrupt departure from the pro-life file of our administration and ought to be deeply regarding to tens of millions of pro-life Individuals who’ve supported the Republican Get together and our nominees for many years,” former Vice President Mike Pence mentioned in a press release from his group, Advancing American Freedom, final week.
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The president of high pro-life group Susan B. Anthony Professional Life America, Marjorie Dannenfelser, expressed her personal fear, saying in a press release, “There isn’t any query that we’d like a pro-life HHS secretary, and, in fact, we now have considerations about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”
However she signaled confidence in Trump’s administration to uphold pro-life values.
“I imagine that irrespective of who’s HHS secretary, baseline insurance policies set by President Trump throughout his first time period shall be reestablished,” Dannenfelser mentioned.