Robert F. Kennedy Jr., aka RFK Jr., is scheduled to appear before the full session of the U.S. Senate in the coming days, where a vote will determine his confirmation as U.S. health and human services, or HHS, secretary. Some reports suggest he’s likely to secure the position, but others hope that the Senate will reject his nomination.
“For all public health and all health of Americans, the hope is that the United States Senate will not confirm RFK Jr. as health and human services secretary. But we have to watch and see,” said Dr. Kelly Henning, who leads Bloomberg Philanthropies’ public health program.
The role of HHS secretary is a very influential role, serving as the senior adviser to the president when it comes to health and welfare. It requires someone with deep public health expertise, and strong adherence to scientific facts and data, experts said.
About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
