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Tag: Confirmation

  • Sen. Grassley delivers opening statement at Kash Patel’s confirmation hearing


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    Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, praised the work and background of Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee to lead the FBI, during his opening statement. Grassley said Patel had a past of “fighting unpopular but righteous causes,” and that he would face “underhanded attacks” from political opposition at his confirmation hearing.Jan. 30, 2025

    • Now Playing

      Sen. Grassley praises Kash Patel for ‘fighting unpopular but righteous causes’

      18:46

    • UP NEXT

      Loeffler in opening statement: Small businesses ‘power the American economy’

      07:27

    • Warnock questions RFK Jr. about comparing CDC’s work to Nazi death camps

      03:42

    • RFK Jr. faces questions on his stances and past statements at confirmation hearing

      04:12

    • ‘I am supportive of vaccines’: Sanders highlights RFK’s opposition to childhood vaccines with clothing examples

      01:40

    • Sanders asks RFK Jr. if health care is a human right

      01:57



Today, Sen. Chuck Grassley delivered a powerful opening statement at the confirmation hearing for Kash Patel, who has been nominated for a key government position. In his remarks, Sen. Grassley highlighted Patel’s impressive qualifications and dedication to public service. He praised Patel for his commitment to upholding the rule of law and his track record of effectively navigating complex issues. Sen. Grassley expressed confidence that Patel will excel in this new role and continue to serve our country with integrity and diligence. Stay tuned for updates on Patel’s confirmation process. #KashPatel #ConfirmationHearing #SenateGrassley

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#Sen #Grassley #delivers #opening #statement #Kash #Patels #confirmation #hearing

  • WATCH LIVE: Kash Patel testifies at Senate confirmation hearing for FBI director


    Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick for FBI director, testifies Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

    The hearing is expected to begin Thursday, Jan. 30 at 9:30 a.m. EST. Watch live in the player above.

    A loyal Trump supporter, Patel is a former public defender turned Justice Department prosecutor. He served in Trump’s first term as chief of staff to acting defense secretary Christopher Miller. In interviews, he has said he wants to reduce the size of the national intelligence community, and shut down the FBI’s headquarters in Washington. He’s also repeated the false narrative that Trump won the 2020 election.



    Join us now to watch live as Kash Patel testifies at the Senate confirmation hearing for FBI director. Stay informed on this important hearing and witness Patel’s insights and qualifications firsthand. Don’t miss out on this crucial event – tune in now! #SenateHearing #FBI #KashPatel #ConfirmationHearing #LiveStream

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  • Live updates: RFK Jr. confirmation hearing, Trump news


    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears before the Senate Finance Committee for his confirmation hearing at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will again be on Capitol Hill today for a second confirmation hearing to be President Donald Trump’s Health and Human Services secretary — this time with the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which will continue the intense scrutiny over his history of controversial and inflammatory comments.

    Kennedy is expected to face tough questions from Democrats regarding his false claims that vaccines cause autism and his conspiratorial rhetoric on federal agencies and other health policies, while Republicans are poised to seek commitments from him over his positions on abortion rights and agriculture.

    Other more incendiary comments he’s made in the past, such as comparing Covid-19 pandemic mandates to Nazi Germany and apartheid laws in South Africa, have also faced backlash from both ends of the political spectrum.

    Kennedy has also baselessly suggested that human-made chemicals in water systems could turn children gay or transgender. He has long peddled AIDS denialism conspiracy theories, alleging that HIV does not cause AIDS and questioning the “theology that HIV is the sole cause of AIDS.”

    Routine childhood vaccinations are projected to prevent hundreds of millions of illnesses, tens of millions of hospitalizations, and more than 1 million deaths among people born between 1994 and 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Vaccines are thoroughly tested before their release, and their safety is monitored on an ongoing basis.

    About Kennedy Jr.: As a member of the famed Kennedy political dynasty, he built his career as a progressive lawyer taking on pharmaceutical companies and environmental safety causes. He later founded the nonprofit Children’s Health Defense, known for spreading anti-vaccine misinformation. After he ran for president as a Democrat-turned-independent last year, Kennedy rebranded himself as a MAGA acolyte seeking to “Make America Healthy Again” and quickly endorsed Trump.

    CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski contributed to this report.



    At the RFK Jr. confirmation hearing, tensions are running high as senators question his qualifications for the position. Stay tuned for live updates as the hearing unfolds.

    In other news, President Trump has just announced a major policy change that is sure to spark controversy. Follow along for the latest updates on this developing story. #RFKJrHearing #TrumpNews #LiveUpdates

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    #Live #updates #RFK #confirmation #hearing #Trump #news

  • Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination at risk of being blocked as she heads to confirmation hearing. Here’s what to know


    Washington — Tulsi Gabbard‘s nomination to be President Trump’s director of national intelligence is in peril as she faces skepticism from senators ahead of her confirmation hearing Thursday. 

    Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and combat veteran, faces a narrow path to confirmation amid concerns over her decision to meet with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in 2017, her past push to pardon National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, her views on Ukraine and her previous opposition to renewing a key government surveillance authority, known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. 

    If confirmed, the 43-year-old who has no background in intelligence, would be tasked with overseeing the nation’s 18 spy agencies. 

    Last week, two sources told CBS News that Gabbard’s nomination is at risk of being blocked and called the situation “fluid.” Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine are among the Republicans concerned about her nomination, they said. 

    Collins sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee and could tip the scale against her. Gabbard cannot afford to lose a single Republican vote on the panel, which has nine GOP members and eight Democrats. Collins said Wednesday she is still undecided. 

    “I do not make a decision on nominees until after the hearing is concluded,” she said. 

    Collins said Monday she’s seeking clarity from Gabbard about her position on Section 702. Gabbard, who sought to repeal the controversial law that authorizes the U.S. government to collect the communications of foreigners abroad without a warrant, has since reversed her stance. In a statement to Punchbowl earlier this month, Gabbard said she now supports the surveillance authority, calling it “crucial” to protecting national security. 

    “My prior concerns about FISA were based on insufficient protections for civil liberties, particularly regarding the FBI’s misuse of warrantless search powers on American citizens. Significant FISA reforms have been enacted since my time in Congress to address these issues,” she said. “If confirmed as DNI, I will uphold Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights while maintaining vital national security tools like Section 702 to ensure the safety and freedom of the American people.” 

    Collins said Gabbard’s response to her questions have been “hedged and unclear.” 

    Gabbard’s secret trip to Syria in 2017 in which she met with Assad is expected to be another focus of Thursday’s hearing. Gabbard’s trip faced an outcry from her fellow lawmakers, who argued it legitimized the brutal dictator. Assad fled the country in December 2024 after his regime was toppled. 

    “When the opportunity arose to meet with him, I did so because I felt that it’s important that if we profess to truly care about the Syrian people, about their suffering, then we’ve got to be able to meet with anyone that we need to if there is a possibility that we can achieve peace,” she said in 2017. 

    She also doubted whether the Assad regime was behind a chemical weapons attack on its own civilians, which international weapons experts said originated from Syrian government sites. 

    Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who is not a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday said he would be paying attention to Gabbard’s hearing. 

    “I tend to vote for almost everybody at both parties, but I want to see how the hearing goes,” Graham said. “Why did you go to Syria? What did you do regarding the Assad [regime]? Why do you think Edward Snowden should be held as a hero? I certainly don’t.” 

    In 2020, Gabbard called for the dismissal of charges against Snowden, who leaked a trove of information on the U.S. government’s top-secret mass surveillance programs. Snowden, who was charged with espionage in 2013, has been living in exile in Russia. 

    Gabbard drew further ire after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when she made statements that were viewed by some as parroting Russian propaganda. 

    “This war and suffering could have easily been avoided if Biden Admin/NATO had simply acknowledged Russia’s legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine’s becoming a member of NATO, which would mean US/NATO forces right on Russia’s border,” she wrote at the time.  

    Republican Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas said Wednesday he expects Gabbard’s potential confirmation vote to be “really close.” 

    “I still have confidence,” he said. “I think that she’s an outsider, that she’s a disrupter.” 

    Major Garrett,

    Ed O’Keefe,

    Grace Kazarian and

    Emily Hung

    contributed to this report.

    Caitlin Yilek

    Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.



    As Tulsi Gabbard, the former Hawaii congresswoman and Democratic presidential candidate, prepares for her confirmation hearing to be the next U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, her nomination is facing potential roadblocks.

    Gabbard’s controversial past statements and actions have raised concerns among lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Her previous meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and her past remarks on LGBTQ rights and foreign policy have drawn criticism and skepticism about her qualifications for the role.

    Furthermore, some progressive groups have voiced their opposition to Gabbard’s nomination, citing her conservative views on issues such as military intervention and her ties to right-wing figures.

    As Gabbard heads to her confirmation hearing, it remains to be seen whether she will be able to overcome these obstacles and secure the necessary votes to be confirmed as the next U.S. Ambassador to the UN.

    Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.

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    Tulsi Gabbard, nomination, confirmation hearing, potential block, political news, Senate, Congress, nominee, confirmation process, confirmation hearing updates, Tulsi Gabbard news

    #Tulsi #Gabbards #nomination #risk #blocked #heads #confirmation #hearing #Heres

  • Sparks expected to fly at Kash Patel’s Senate confirmation hearing for FBI director


    President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, is expected to trade barbs with lawmakers in his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. 

    Patel, a former public defender, Department of Justice official and longtime Trump ally, will join the Senate committee at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, when lawmakers are anticipated to grill the nominee on plans detailed in his 2023 book to overhaul the FBI, his crusade against the “deep state” and his resume, as Democrats argue the nominee lacks the qualifications for the role. 

    The president and his allies, however, staunchly have defended Patel, with Senate Judiciary member Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., arguing that Democrats are “fearful” of Patel’s nomination and confirmation due to “what he’s going to reveal” to the general public. 

    “They are very fearful of Kash Patel, because Kash Patel knows what Adam Schiff and some of the others did with Russia collusion, and they know that he he knows – the dirt on them, if you will – and I think they’re fearful of what he’s going to do and what he’s going to reveal,” Blackburn said on Fox News on Sunday. 

    WHO IS KASH PATEL? TRUMP’S PICK TO LEAD THE FBI HAS LONG HISTORY VOWING TO BUST UP ‘DEEP STATE’

    President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, is expected to trade barbs with lawmakers in his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

    Patel, a New York native, worked as a public defender in Florida’s Miami-Dade after earning his law degree in 2005 from Pace University in New York City.  

    Patel’s national name recognition grew under the first Trump administration, when he worked as the national security advisor and senior counsel for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence under the leadership of Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif. Patel became known as the man behind the “Nunes Memo” – a four-page document released in 2018 that revealed improper use of surveillance by the FBI and the Justice Department in the Russia investigation into Trump. 

    Patel was named senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council in 2019. In that role, he assisted the Trump White House in eliminating foreign terrorist leadership, such as ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019 and al Qaeda terrorist Qasim al-Raymi in 2020, according to his biography. His efforts ending terrorist threats under the Trump administration came after he won a DOJ award in 2017 for his prosecution and conviction of 12 terrorists responsible for the World Cup bombings in 2010 in Uganda under the Obama administration. 

    Following the 2020 election, Patel remained a steadfast ally of Trump’s, joining the 45th president during his trial in Manhattan in the spring of 2024, and echoing that the United States’ security and law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, need to be overhauled.

    ‘JUST LIKE TRUMP’: ISIS MURDER VICTIM KAYLA MUELLER’S PARENTS ENDORSE PATEL FOR FBI FOLLOWING MILITARY OP ROLE

    Kash Patel worked as a public defender in Florida’s Miami-Dade after earning his law degree in 2005 from Pace University in New York City.   (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

    Patel underscored in his 2023 book, “Government Gangsters,” that “deep state” government employees have politicized and weaponized the law enforcement agency – and explicitly called for the revamp of the FBI in a chapter dubbed “Overhauling the FBI.”

    “Things are bad. There’s no denying it,” he wrote in the book. “The FBI has gravely abused its power, threatening not only the rule of law, but the very foundations of self-government at the root of our democracy. But this isn’t the end of the story. Change is possible at the FBI and desperately needed.” 

    “The fact is we need a federal agency that investigates federal crimes, and that agency will always be at risk of having its powers abused,” he wrote, advocating the firing of “corrupt actors,” “aggressive” congressional oversight over the agency and the complete overhaul of special counsels. 

    FORMER TRUMP OFFICIALS REJECT WHISTLEBLOWER CLAIM THAT FBI DIRECTOR NOMINEE KASH PATEL BROKE HOSTAGE PROTOCOL

    Patel adds in his book: “Most importantly, we need to get the FBI the hell out of Washington, D.C. There is no reason for the nation’s law enforcement agency to be centralized in the swamp.”

    Trump heralded the book as a “roadmap” to exposing bad actors in the federal government and said it is a “blueprint to help us take back the White House and remove these Gangsters from all of Government.”

    Patel has spoken out against a number of high-profile investigations and issues he sees within the DOJ in the past few years. He slammed the department, for example, for allegedly burying evidence related to the identity of a suspect who allegedly planted pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican parties in Washington, D.C., a day ahead of Jan. 6, 2021.

    ‘BEACON OF SELFLESSNESS’: ISIS VICTIM KAYLA MUELLER HONORED AT CONGRESSMAN’S SWEARING-IN 10 YEARS AFTER DEATH

    Patel has also said Trump could release both the Jeffrey Epstein client list and Sean “Diddy” Combs party attendee lists, which could expose those allegedly involved in sex and human trafficking crimes. 

    Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin, Amy Klobuchar and Mazie Hirono, who sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee. (Getty Images)

    Senate Democrats received an anonymous whistleblower report that was publicly reported Monday alleging Patel violated protocol during a hostage rescue mission in October 2020, an allegation Trump’s orbit has brushed off. 

    The whistleblower claimed that Patel leaked to the Wall Street Journal that two Americans and the remains of a third were being transferred to U.S. custody from Yemen, where they had been held hostage by Houthi rebels, before the hostages were actually in U.S. custody. Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, obtained the whistleblower report. 

    A transition official pushed back on the report in a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday, saying Patel has a “track record of success.”

    ‘WHEN THEY FAIL, AMERICANS DIE’: TRUMP SOURCE BLASTS FBI, URGES SWIFT CONFIRMATION OF KASH PATEL AS DIRECTOR

    “Mr. Patel was a public defender, decorated prosecutor, and accomplished national security official that kept Americans safe,” the official said. “He has a track record of success in every branch of government, from the courtroom to congressional hearing room to the situation room. There is no veracity to this anonymous source’s complaints about protocol.”  

    Kash Patel has spoken out against a number of high-profile investigations and issues he sees within the DOJ in the past few years. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

    Alexander Gray, who served as chief of staff for the White House National Security Council under Trump’s first administration, called the allegation “simply absurd.”

    Patel’s nomination comes after six of Trump’s nominees were confirmed by the Senate, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth – who also was viewed as a nominee who faced an uphill confirmation battle. 

    NATIONAL SHERIFFS’ ASSOCIATION SLAMS STATE OF POLICING UNDER BIDEN, THROWS FULL SUPPORT BEHIND PATEL FOR FBI

    The Senate schedule this week was packed with hearings besides Patel’s, with senators grilling Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday and also holding the hearing for Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to serve as director of national intelligence. 

    Kash Patel is a former public defender, Department of Justice official and longtime ally of President Donald Trump. (Evan Vucci/The Associated Press)

    Patel heads into his hearing armed with a handful of high-profile endorsements, including the National Sheriffs’ Association and National Police Association. 

    Carl and Marsha Mueller, the parents of ISIS murder victim Kayla Mueller, also notably endorsed Patel, Fox News Digital exclusively reported on Tuesday. Patel helped oversee a military mission in 2019 that killed ISIS leader al-Baghdadi, who was believed to have repeatedly tortured and raped Kayla Mueller before her death in 2015. 

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    Patel “loves his country. He loves the people of this country,” Marsha Mueller told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview via Zoom on Monday morning. “To us, you know, he is a person that we would go to for help. And he is so action oriented.” 

    “Just like Trump,” Carl Mueller added to his wife’s comments on Patel’s action-motivated personality.

    Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.



    The upcoming Senate confirmation hearing for Kash Patel, the nominee for FBI director, is expected to be a fiery one as sparks are anticipated to fly during the proceedings.

    Patel, a former aide to Rep. Devin Nunes and a key figure in the Trump administration’s efforts to discredit the Russia investigation, has faced criticism and controversy over his past actions and statements. His nomination has been met with skepticism and concern from both Democrats and some Republicans.

    During the hearing, senators are expected to grill Patel on his role in the Russia investigation, his views on law enforcement and national security, and his plans for leading the FBI. With tensions running high and partisan divisions deepening, the confirmation hearing is likely to be a contentious and contentious affair.

    As the spotlight shines on Patel and his qualifications to lead the nation’s premier law enforcement agency, all eyes will be on the Senate chamber to see if he can weather the storm and secure the votes needed to become the next FBI director. Stay tuned for updates and analysis as the drama unfolds.

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    4. FBI director nominee Kash Patel
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    #Sparks #expected #fly #Kash #Patels #Senate #confirmation #hearing #FBI #director

  • What to know about RFK Jr.’s senate confirmation hearing to be health secretary


    WASHINGTON (AP) — In a contentious confirmation hearing to become the nation’s top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. struggled to answer questions about Medicare and Medicaid, programs that affect tens of millions of Americans, or to provide details about how he would work to drive down health care costs.

    Kennedy had faced a well-funded opposition campaign from Republicans and Democrats who highlighted his anti-vaccine rhetoric and support of abortion access. Democrats questioned his past remarks, while Republicans praised him for his ideas to reduce food additives and hopes to research a rise in diseases.

    As President Donald Trump’s choice to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, he ended Wednesday’s three-hour hearing before the Senate Finance Committee with strong endorsements from Republicans for him to lead the department that accounts for $1.7 trillion in federal spending.

    But Kennedy needs backing from nearly all Republicans to land the job. And one key vote from Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician who heads up the Health, Education, Labor and Pension committee that Kennedy will sit before Thursday, appeared still uncertain.

    Kennedy had no answers for Cassidy, who asked the nominee to share plans for Medicaid reform, a multibillion-dollar taxpayer-funded program that covers health care for about 80 million people, including children. Republicans have said they might need to make deep cuts to Medicaid to fund Trump’s proposals.

    After Cassidy pressed him several times, Kennedy finally replied, “I don’t have a broad proposal for dismantling the program.”

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said “the states should control abortion” during his confirmation hearing Wednesday, adding that he will “study the safety” of the abortion pill mifepristone at Trump’s request.

    He went on to misstate how the biggest programs at the agency work, eliciting corrections from senators throughout the hearing. Medicaid, he wrongly said, is fully paid for by the federal government — it’s not; states and federal taxpayers fund it. Later, he talked about Medicaid’s “high premiums and high deductibles,” although the virtually-free program has neither. He appeared confused about questions on the hundreds of community health clinics the agency funds in cities across the country or the role it plays in a federal law that mandates emergency rooms to stabilize anyone who presents at their facility.

    And on some of the most controversial questions — like his plans for abortion — he deferred to Trump. Kennedy, a longtime Democrat, had previously said during his failed presidential bid that he supported access to abortion but on Wednesday he said that every abortion is a “tragedy.”

    Views on vaccines still the biggest issue for Democrats

    Kennedy tried to assure senators that he supports childhood vaccines, pointing out that his children are vaccinated. “I believe that vaccines play a critical role in health care,” Kennedy told the committee.

    Republicans didn’t ask about Kennedy’s views on vaccines. Democrats, though, repeatedly brought up previous remarks or evidence that Kennedy has discouraged their use. The accusations often led to a terse back-and-forth and outbursts from the audience.

    Democrats also pointed to Kennedy’s writings, podcast appearances and other comments to show that Mr. Kennedy has embraced conspiracy theories and unproven alternative remedies, especially when it comes to the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado pressed Kennedy over controversial and false claims he’s made about COVID-19, pesticides and AIDS. Kennedy acknowledged some of the statements and denied others.

    Bennet retorted, “This is a job where it is life and death for the kids that I used to work with in Denver public schools and for families all over this country that are suffering.”

    Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who caucuses with Democrats, said he endorsed Kennedy’s slogan, “Make America Healthy Again” but the comity stopped there. He accused Kennedy of being hypocritical over his vaccine views. To prove his point, Sanders displayed a photo of baby onesies that say “Unvaxxed Unafraid” selling on the website of the Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine advocacy group that Kennedy headed up until recently.

    Kennedy said he had nothing to do with the product, and pointed out he is no longer with the group.

    Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., repeatedly asked Kennedy if he would agree to not collect money off lawsuits against drugmakers after disclosing in ethics filings that he would continue to collect legal fees from a lawsuit against Merck, over Gardasil, its human papillomavirus vaccine that prevents cervical cancer. He made $850,000 from the arrangement last year. If approved as health secretary, Warren raised several changes Kennedy could make that might enrich profits off such lawsuits, including appointing anti-vaccine advocates to vaccine advisory panels, removing vaccines from recommendations or changing the way the vaccine injury compensation program works.

    He would not commit to Warren’s ask.

    “No one should be fooled here, as Secretary of HHS Robert Kennedy will have the power to undercut vaccines and vaccine manufacturing across our country,” Warren charged.

    Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota, meanwhile, asked Kennedy to explain his unfounded suggestions that a dramatic increase in school shootings in recent decades could be linked to an increase in antidepressant use.

    “These statements you’ve made linking antidepressants to school shootings reinforce the stigma that people who experience mental health face every single day,” said Smith, who shared she benefitted from using the drugs as a young woman.

    Republicans saw little cause for concern, much appetite for support

    Some Republicans said Kennedy emerged unscathed after what they viewed as a pile-on of attacks by Democratic senators. If Democrats vote in a block against Kennedy, he can only lose four Republican votes and still win confirmation.

    There had been some opposition to his nomination from conservatives, notably former Vice President Mike Pence, over Kennedy’s support for abortion rights. Under close watch was Republican Sen. James Lankford, a Republican of Oklahoma who opposes abortion.

    He and Kennedy have had “some disagreement on the issue of life,” Lankford said, but Kennedy assured him repeatedly he would follow Trump’s lead on the issue.

    Abortion was a flashpoint for Democrats, however, who zeroed in on his plans around the abortion pill. Kennedy said Trump has asked him to study the safety of the medication, which anti-abortion advocates have lobbied to be further restricted. Democrats countered that the drug has been studied for a quarter-century.

    Kennedy said he wants to use the National Institutes of Health to conduct more research on food additives, and he would work closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to take a look at the federally-funded school lunch program as well as food assistance for the poor.

    But he promised not to ban certain foods. His boss, after all, would be unhappy if he did.

    “I don’t want to take food away from anybody,” he said. “If you like a cheeseburger — a McDonald’s cheeseburger and a diet Coke like my boss — you should be able to get them.”

    __

    Associated Press writers Stephen Groves and Matthew Perrone contributed.





    Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent environmental activist and attorney, has been nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. His confirmation hearing is set to take place in the coming weeks, and there are a few key things to know about this important event.

    First and foremost, RFK Jr.’s nomination has sparked both praise and controversy. While many supporters laud his dedication to environmental issues and public health, some critics have raised concerns about his past statements on vaccines and public health policies. It is expected that these topics will be addressed during the confirmation hearing, as senators seek to better understand his positions and qualifications for the role.

    Additionally, RFK Jr.’s confirmation as health secretary would mark a significant shift in leadership for the Department of Health and Human Services. With his background in environmental law and advocacy, he brings a unique perspective to the position that could shape the department’s approach to issues such as climate change, healthcare access, and public health emergencies.

    Overall, RFK Jr.’s senate confirmation hearing promises to be a crucial moment in the process of selecting the next Secretary of Health and Human Services. As the nation continues to grapple with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other pressing health challenges, the outcome of this hearing will have far-reaching implications for the future of public health in the United States. Stay tuned for updates on this important event.

    Tags:

    RFK Jr., senate confirmation, health secretary, confirmation hearing, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., health department, senate hearing, health secretary nominee, RFK Jr. confirmation, health policy, senate confirmation hearing, RFK Jr. health secretary, health secretary confirmation

    #RFK #Jr.s #senate #confirmation #hearing #health #secretary

  • Chavez-DeRemer awaits confirmation, Oregon’s Democrat Senators signal support


    PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Two new members of President Donald Trump’s cabinet were sworn in on Saturday. Pete Hegseth will lead the Department of Defense, and Kristi Noem was sworn in as Secretary of Homeland Security. This brings the total number of confirmed and sworn-in cabinet members to four.

    Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Trump’s nominee for Labor Secretary, is still awaiting her confirmation hearing. Chavez-DeRemer, a Republican, served one term in Congress representing Oregon’s 5th District, was defeated in November’s election by Democrat Janelle Bynum.

    Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley expressed his support for Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation.

    “It will be great to have an Oregonian who’s in the cabinet. She was the most pro-labor Republican in the House of Representatives, and I plan to support her.”

    Oregon’s other senator, Ron Wyden, also commented on Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination.

    “It’s always a good idea to have someone who is consistent with our way of life,” Wyden said.

    President Trump has appointed Vince Micone as Acting Secretary of Labor until Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation. The date for her confirmation hearing has yet to be announced.



    Chavez-DeRemer, the nominee for the vacant seat on the Oregon Supreme Court, is currently awaiting confirmation from the state Senate. The confirmation process has been contentious, with Republican lawmakers raising concerns about Chavez-DeRemer’s judicial philosophy and past decisions.

    However, Oregon’s Democrat Senators have signaled their support for Chavez-DeRemer, praising her qualifications and experience. They believe she will be a fair and impartial judge who will uphold the rule of law.

    The confirmation vote is expected to take place in the coming weeks, and all eyes are on the state Senate to see if Chavez-DeRemer will be confirmed to the Oregon Supreme Court. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.

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  • At Gabbard’s Confirmation Hearing, Edward Snowden May Loom Large


    Tulsi Gabbard’s past statements on Syria, Russia, Ukraine and warrantless spying have all given Republican senators pause. But for some lawmakers another issue looms just as large: Edward Snowden, the former government contractor who released reams of classified data on American surveillance programs in 2013 and then fled to Russia.

    While in Congress, Ms. Gabbard introduced legislation that would have offered additional whistle-blower protections for people, like Mr. Snowden, accused of violating the Espionage Act. Working with Matt Gaetz, who was then a Florida congressman, she also introduced legislation that called on the charges against Mr. Snowden to be dropped.

    Ms. Gabbard is now President Trump’s pick to oversee the nation’s spy agencies as the director of national intelligence. At her confirmation on Thursday, senators plan to press her on a range of issues, including Mr. Snowden.

    Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine and one of the lawmakers who will be questioning Ms. Gabbard, said Mr. Snowden’s disclosures “jeopardized people who were helping us.”

    “One of my greatest concerns is how she views Edward Snowden in light of the resolution that she co-authored with Matt Gaetz calling for all criminal charges against him, which were extremely serious and involved sharing highly classified information with our adversaries, to be dropped,” Ms. Collins said.

    In the face of such skepticism, Ms. Gabbard is expected to distance herself from Mr. Snowden at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, according to a person briefed on her plans. Ms. Gabbard plans to say that she believes Mr. Snowden’s disclosures hurt the intelligence community and national security, the person said.

    It will be an about-face. In 2019, as a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, Ms. Gabbard suggested that Mr. Snowden’s disclosures about the National Security Agency’s activities had a positive impact. She told CNN that she and other members of Congress worked to “try to shut down these avenues that some of our intelligence agencies have abused and violated our constitutional Fourth Amendment rights.”

    “If it wasn’t for Snowden the American people would never have learned the N.S.A. was collecting phone records and spying on Americans,” she said in a social media message that year. In an appearance on the popular podcast hosted by Joe Rogan, she vowed to pardon Mr. Snowden.

    Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, the new chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has been a harsh critic of Mr. Snowden’s and repeatedly called him a traitor.

    “Edward Snowden was an egotistical serial liar and traitor who jeopardized the safety of Americans and allies,” Mr. Cotton wrote on social media in 2016.

    Since becoming the committee’s chairman this month, Mr. Cotton has alluded to policy differences with Ms. Gabbard but defended her patriotism and integrity.

    “I understand that people have their differences of opinion with Ms. Gabbard,” Mr. Cotton told Fox News on Sunday. “Probably some Republicans disagree with the vote she’s cast as a Democratic congresswoman. A lot of Democrats may be upset that she finally saw the light and left the Democratic Party.”

    Ms. Gabbard may also be asked to defend her positions that have been at odds with Mr. Trump’s. In 2018, Mr. Trump released a long statement defending Saudi Arabia after the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist. In a social media post, Ms. Gabbard retorted: “Hey @realdonaldtrump: being Saudi Arabia’s bitch is not ‘America First.’”

    As a Democrat, Ms. Gabbard also criticized Mr. Trump’s policies on Israel, Iran and China.

    Mr. Snowden however has been a repeated point of friction in Ms. Gabbard’s conversations with various senators, according to congressional aides and Trump administration officials. Senator James Lankford, the Oklahoma Republican, said he was among those who had spoken with Ms. Gabbard about Mr. Snowden.

    “The office of the director of national intelligence,” Mr. Lankford has said, “has a responsibility to be able to make sure we don’t have secrets leaked out.”

    In addition to Mr. Snowden, Ms Gabbard has defended Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, who published documents leaked by Chelsea Manning, then a low-level Army intelligence analyst, about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    “ So much of the information that has been released has informed the American people about actions that were taking place that they should be aware of,” Ms. Gabbard said in the 2019 CNN interview. “It provided transparency.”

    The disagreement over Mr. Snowden reflects an underlying issue between Ms. Gabbard and at least some Republicans in the Senate over the reach of American intelligence surveillance.

    Mr. Snowden exposed the broad scope of and new information about the National Security Agency’s collection of bulk records of Americans’ phone records.

    Ms. Gabbard, like Mr. Trump, has been skeptical of the government’s other efforts to collect information, including a surveillance law known as Section 702. That law allows the government, without a warrant, to collect communications of foreigners abroad, including when those people are interacting with Americans.

    But intelligence officials, and many Republican senators, have said that Section 702 is a critical national security tool, one that has helped warn against terrorist attacks and other threats.

    Privacy advocates have raised questions about all such intelligence collection. The National Security Agency programs Mr. Snowden disclosed and Section 702 involve secret intelligence agencies collecting information, sometimes including Americans, with limited oversight.

    Mr. Cotton has complained about attempts to tie the issues together and said Mr. Snowden’s leaks have warped the debate over Section 702.

    “Unfortunately, this and other programs were distorted in the public debate by a traitor, a disgruntled ex-N.S.A. contractor, Edward Snowden, who now sits in the warm embrace of Russian intelligence services,” Mr. Cotton said in 2017.

    While 702 collection is aimed overseas, it sweeps up calls and communications involving Americans. F.B.I. agents have been criticized for improperly looking up information about Americans that was collected under Section 702. Such searches were not supposed to happen routinely, and subsequent reforms have sought to curb the practice.

    After several tense conversations with lawmakers, Ms. Gabbard announced that she now supported the reauthorization of the law.

    Mr. Cotton praised that switch.

    “Tulsi Gabbard has assured me in our conversations that she supports Section 702 as recently amended and that she will follow the law and support its reauthorization,” Mr. Cotton said in a statement.

    But Senator Mark Kelly, Democrat of Arizona, said it might be hard to trust Ms. Gabbard’s change of heart on Section 702 and Mr. Snowden, whom he said “should be in jail.”

    “It’s not like she said something once,” Mr. Kelly said. “She has done multiple pieces of legislation on this issue. When somebody changes their position, especially when she is changing her position to get a job, you have to wonder what she really believes.”

    Kitty Bennett and Dylan Freedman contributed research.



    As Congress prepares for the confirmation hearing of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as the next Secretary of Defense, one question looms large: will the shadow of Edward Snowden impact her nomination?

    Snowden, the infamous whistleblower who leaked classified information about the U.S. government’s surveillance programs, has long been a controversial figure. His actions have been praised by some as acts of heroism, while others have condemned him as a traitor. Gabbard, who has been a vocal critic of government surveillance programs, has expressed support for Snowden in the past.

    During her confirmation hearing, Gabbard is likely to face questions about her views on whistleblowers and government transparency, including her stance on Snowden. Some lawmakers may see Gabbard’s support for Snowden as a liability, while others may view it as a sign of her commitment to civil liberties.

    As the hearing approaches, all eyes will be on Gabbard and how she navigates the issue of government surveillance and whistleblowers. Will she distance herself from Snowden, or will she stand by her previous statements of support? Only time will tell.

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  • RFK Jr.’s Confirmation Hearings Can’t Leave This Question Unanswered


    On this Wednesday and Thursday, two powerful Senate committees will hold confirmation hearings for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

    RFK Jr. is no stranger to controversy. But his most radical policy position may be one that relatively few people are talking about.

    Politico recently reported that RFK Jr. has “expressed openness” to seizing drug companies’ patents and relicensing them to generic manufacturers—a move that would effectively implement roundabout price controls on some of the nation’s most commonly prescribed drugs.

    RFK Jr.’s team disputed that report, claiming the allegations are simply “an attempt to denigrate” him. Ordinary Americans should hope that’s the case.

    But the senators on the Finance and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committees can do more than hope. They should question Kennedy directly about his views on forcibly relicensing patents—and upending America’s entire high-tech economy in the process.

    The idea of seizing drug patents to control prices has long been a goal of progressives, including former President Biden. The strategy hinges on a deliberate misinterpretation of the Bayh-Dole Act, the bipartisan law that created a pathway for turning federally funded research discoveries into commercial products.

    The Bayh-Dole Act empowered federally funded universities and non-profits to retain the patents on their research discoveries—and license those patents to private companies interested in turning promising ideas into real-world drugs, medical devices, and other high-tech products.

    Prior to the Bayh-Dole Act, the government retained the rights to any patents arising out of federally funded research. And the government rarely licensed those patents to private-sector companies. So taxpayer-funded research effectively went to waste. Scientists made great discoveries—but consumers never saw the benefits in the form of new products.

    In the nearly 45 years since its passage, the Bayh-Dole Act has made the United States the world’s leading developer of new cures and treatments. The law has spurred the creation of more than 200 new drugs and vaccines, as well as the formation of some 17,000 start-ups.

    The Bayh-Dole Act outlines very limited circumstances in which the government can “march in” on a patent to forcibly relicense it. For instance, if a company has licensed a patent on an urgently needed experimental vaccine that benefited from federal funding, but proves unable or unwilling to make that vaccine commercially available, the government has the authority to seize the patent and relicense it to another company.

    But the government’s march-in authority is so potentially counterproductive—and so tightly constrained—that past administrations have uniformly rejected calls to employ it. Under the first Trump administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology made clear that “[t]he use of march-in is typically regarded as a last resort, and has never been exercised since the passage of the Bayh-Dole Act in 1980.”

    Far-left activists are trying to change that. They’ve claimed for years that the government can and should liberally invoke march-in rights to relicense patents on any products deemed unreasonably priced.

    This is a gross misreading of the Bayh-Dole Act. The law’s authors, Sens. Birch Bayh (D-IN) and Bob Dole (R-KS), stated explicitly that the “ability of the government to revoke a license granted under the act is not contingent on the pricing of a resulting product.”

    If RFK Jr. were to endorse this radical interpretation as HHS Secretary, the consequences for our most innovative and productive industries would be catastrophic.

    For starters, misusing march-in rights would have all the disastrous drawbacks of traditional price controls. And it would introduce extreme financial uncertainty into the business of licensing, developing, manufacturing, and distributing life-saving medicines, discouraging investment in medical science for years to come.

    Few biotech companies would be interested in licensing a federally funded university’s promising research ideas if government bureaucrats could arbitrarily tear up that licensing agreement on a whim—after the companies invested years and billions of dollars into further researching and developing the drugs.

    The harmful consequences would extend far beyond the health care sector. Arbitrarily ripping up exclusive patent licensing agreements would open the door for wholesale government confiscation of promising technologies. It would give companies in all high-tech sectors less reason to invest their time and resources into developing new technologies that arise out of taxpayer-funded research.

    Instead of ensuring that Americans get lifechanging new products, misusing march-in rights would ensure that taxpayer-funded research discoveries never make it out of the lab.

    Does the potential next leader of the government’s most expensive department understand this basic reality? It’s up to senators to find out.



    RFK Jr.’s Confirmation Hearings Can’t Leave This Question Unanswered

    As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces confirmation hearings for his potential role in the Biden administration, there is one question that cannot go unanswered: his stance on vaccination and public health.

    RFK Jr. has been a vocal critic of vaccines, spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories about their safety and efficacy. This raises serious concerns about his ability to serve in a public health role, where promoting vaccination and combating misinformation are critical responsibilities.

    It is essential that during his confirmation hearings, RFK Jr. is pressed on his views on vaccination and public health. He must be held accountable for his past statements and actions, and be required to demonstrate a commitment to science-based policies that protect the health and safety of all Americans.

    The stakes are too high to ignore this crucial question. RFK Jr.’s confirmation hearings must address his stance on vaccination and public health to ensure that he is fit to serve in a position of such importance.

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  • RFK Jr.’s financial disclosures reveal millions in both debt and income as he awaits HHS confirmation


    As Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s Health and Human Services Secretary nominee, awaits his confirmation hearing, financial disclosures released Wednesday show that he is saddled with millions in debt, but is positioned to earn millions from book deals.

    In financial disclosure forms filed with the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, Kennedy reported debts of $610,000 to $1.2 million on his American Express card, up to three mortgages totaling somewhere from $2.25 million to $10.5 million, along with other loans, one of which was as much as $500,000. 

    Even so, he reported netting more than $11 million over the past two years, and is expected to take in $2 million to $4 million more in book advances for two books with Skyhorse Publishing in New York: “Unsettled Science” and “A Defense for Israel.”

    Nearly $9 million of Kennedy’s recent income came from his law firm, Kennedy and Madonna, LLP, now called Madonna and Madonna, LLP. In a letter dated Jan. 21, Kennedy wrote to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics that, if confirmed as HHS Secretary, he would sever ties with the firm and some other income sources to avoid conflicts of interest. His final payment from the firm was in May 2024, he said.

    The disclosures also make clear Kennedy still intends to receive legal fees from Wisner Baum, a firm suing the maker of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil over its alleged failure to warn consumers about its risks.

    “Upon confirmation, I will retain an interest in contingency fee cases that do not involve claims against the United States and in which the United States is not a party and does not have a direct and substantial interest,” Kennedy wrote in his disclosure.  

    His financial disclosure shows he earned $856,559 in referral fees from Wisner.

    Kennedy also drew $326,056 in salary and benefits from Children’s Health Defense, a nonprofit that has filed lawsuits against federal agencies — including some he would oversee as secretary — over vaccine approvals such as COVID-19 shots for children.

    In December, Kennedy said he resigned as chairman and chief legal counsel for CHD after being nominated to head HHS.

    “We are grateful for Bobby’s past contributions and commitment to Children’s Health Defense and to the millions of children harmed by toxic exposures,” said Mary Holland, CEO of CHD, at the time.

    “Bobby provided the impetus behind so many of CHD’s big accomplishments. While we will miss his leadership, we are proud that he has been nominated to lead HHS. We look forward to all that we know he will work to accomplish as he moves into this powerful government position.”

    Kennedy also listed income from a mix of stocks, endorsements, speaking fees and residuals connected to his wife, Cheryl Hines, best known for her work on HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

    Hines also receives residuals from shows and movies “Friends,” “Herbie,” “Waitress,” “The Conners,” “The Flight Attendant” and “A Bad Moms Christmas.” She received a $600,000 advance to pen her memoir, “My Shade of Crazy.”

    Kennedy’s Senate confirmation hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 29. 

    Allison Novelo

    Allison Novelo is a 2024 campaign reporter for CBS News.



    Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nominee for Assistant Secretary for Health and Human Services, has made public his financial disclosures, revealing millions in both debt and income as he awaits confirmation from the Senate.

    According to the documents, RFK Jr. reported debts ranging from $15 million to $55 million, including mortgages on multiple properties, credit card debt, and loans. However, he also reported income of between $5 million and $25 million, largely stemming from his work as a lawyer and environmental activist.

    Despite his substantial debts, RFK Jr. has assured the Senate that he is able to manage his financial obligations and that they will not influence his decision-making in his role at HHS. Critics, however, have raised concerns about the potential conflicts of interest that could arise from his financial situation.

    As RFK Jr. navigates the confirmation process, his financial disclosures are sure to be a topic of scrutiny. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.

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