John,

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. must not be the next Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Mr. Kennedy has promulgated a vast number of conspiracy theories and disproven claims that defy facts and logic. Mr. Kennedy has said or promoted theories that the coronavirus vaccines were created to control people via microchips, antidepressants are linked to school shootings, and that the coronavirus targeted Caucasian people and Black people, but spared people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent and Chinese people.¹

If confirmed as HHS Secretary, Kennedy would oversee the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is in charge of reviewing and approving new vaccines.

He would be in charge of the Vaccines for Children program, which has saved over 1 million lives by immunizing children against diseases such as polio and measles. Both diseases are now rare in the U.S. thanks to immunization programs. But that only lasts as long as we continue to vaccinate our kids against these dangerous diseases. Just look at this headline:

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as the Secretary of Health and Human Services would be a danger to public health. Tell the Senate to reject his nomination now.

Mr. Kennedy’s nomination is so concerning, that former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb of the previous Trump administration said:²

“I think if RFK follows through on his intentions, and I believe he will, and I believe he can, it will cost lives in this country. You’re going to see measles, mumps and rubella vaccination rates go down. And… if we lose another 5%, which could happen the next year or two, we will see large measles outbreaks. For every 1,000 cases of measles that occur in children, there will be one death. And we are not good in this country at diagnosing and treating measles.”

Two recent polls show the American people’s distrust of Kennedy at HHS. This Axios-Ipsos poll shows that RFK has half the trust of Anthony Fauci:³

In addition to his opposition to vaccines, Data for Progress found that the top concern of voters about RFK, Jr. leading HHS is his inexperience in managing Medicare and Medicaid.⁴

With very real threats to health coverage for millions in the months ahead, the Senate must do what’s good for the country, and that is to reject Robert F. Kennedy, Jr’s nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Thank you for all you do,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, CHN Action

¹ 7 Noteworthy Falsehoods Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Has Promoted
² Trump's former FDA commissioner: ‘It will cost lives in this country’ if RFK Jr. follows through on intentions
³ Most Americans distrust Trump, RFK Jr. on health: Axios-Ipsos poll
⁴ Voters' Perceptions of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Nomination to Lead the Department of Health and Human Services