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Last week, RFK Jr. spent more than six hours in two back-to-back Senate confirmation hearings, answering tough questions from both parties.
His nomination for Health and Human Services Secretary, once seen as a likely bet, now seems a little shakier. The biggest sticking point? His past claims linking vaccines to autism.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a physician and chair of the Senate HELP Committee, pressed Kennedy hard on this issue, giving him multiple opportunities to correct the record. Kennedy refused, which led Cassidy to say he’s now “struggling” with whether to vote for the nomination. That’s a big deal, given that Cassidy sits on the Senate Finance Committee, which will ultimately decide whether Kennedy moves forward.
While Democrats were predictably opposed to Kennedy’s nomination, the real drama came from within the GOP. Some Republican lawmakers have privately expressed concerns about Kennedy’s nomination, and after last week’s performance, there’s no guarantee he has the votes to make it through.
I’m sure many of you have strong opinions on vaccines and whether RFK Jr.’s past comments should disqualify him from this role. I’m not here to debate that. As a parent, I see no downside to more transparency around pharmaceuticals and their safety—but that’s a conversation for another time.
Here’s where things get interesting. While his vaccine stance remains polarizing, Kennedy’s views on food and nutrition were met with surprising support from—checks notes—both sides of the aisle.
For the first time in a long time, we’re seeing a shift in how lawmakers talk about the food system. There was broad agreement that ultra-processed foods, diet-related diseases, and lax food regulations are real problems that need real solutions.
Even Cassidy, who sparred with Kennedy on vaccines, acknowledged their alignment on nutrition policy. “We are completely aligned on ultra-processed foods, obesity—these are issues we need to address,” he said in his closing statement.
Kennedy didn’t hold back, either. He repeatedly criticized the food industry, arguing that we’ve allowed corporations to “mass poison American children” in pursuit of profit. That kind of rhetoric might have been dismissed in Washington just a few years ago, but now, it’s resonating across party lines.
Even more telling? There wasn’t a single lawmaker who jumped in to defend the food industry. Usually, we’d expect at least some pushback, particularly from pro-agriculture Republicans or centrist Democrats.
But this time? Silence.
Kennedy also clarified that his focus on food won’t be limited to HHS. Despite agriculture policy falling largely under the USDA, he repeatedly mentioned the need to move farmers away from “chemically intensive” practices. “We have to offer farmers an off-ramp,” he said, citing increased rates of Parkinson’s and chronic illness in agricultural communities.
The key takeaway? Right now, Kennedy’s nomination is in limbo. If he loses key Republican support, his path to confirmation gets much harder. Sen. Cassidy holds a lot of influence here, and his final decision could make or break this nomination.
But regardless of what happens, one thing is certain: food policy is finally getting the attention it deserves.
For decades, politicians have avoided discussing diet-related diseases, school lunches, and the role of ultra-processed foods in our health crisis. Now, we’re seeing real discussions at the highest levels of government.
Whether you agree with RFK Jr. or not, that’s a win.
Big Food’s influence isn’t going away overnight, and systemic change won’t happen in one election cycle. But for the first time in a long time, we have bipartisan momentum around fixing how America eats. That’s something worth paying attention to.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on what happens next. Stay tuned.
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