Democratic Doctors and Allies in the House of Representatives Host Press Conference on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Nomination for HHS Secretary

Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, February 6, 2025, at 5:00 PM ET, Democratic doctors in the House of Representatives held a press conference to address their concerns regarding the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). 

The press conference was attended by Representatives Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Herb Conaway (NJ-03), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), George Whitesides (CA-50), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Troy Carter (LA-2), Scott Peters (CA-27), Derek Tran (CA-45), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Jan Schakowsky (IL-9), and Jill Tokuda (HI-2). 

To view the full press conference, click here.

To view photos from the event, click here.

“Let me be clear, Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s beliefs are a threat to public health and jeopardize the lives of millions of Americans,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25). “He has continuously promoted harmful, false health care claims that have already sown distrust in our public health institutions and in life-saving public health interventions. As doctors, we all know firsthand the devastating impact that misinformation can have.”

“RFK Jr. is not only inexperienced, but his rhetoric and the misinformation he has spread about vaccines have had deadly consequences,” said Congressman Conaway, MD. “Because of his lies, 83 people in American Samoa, mostly children, lost their lives, and this alone should disqualify him from serving as Secretary of HHS. His nomination must be rejected. As a doctor and a Member of Congress, I believe he poses a serious threat to public health in the United States.”

“The American people deserve a Secretary of Health and Human Services that believes in data and science. Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s is antithetical to these values, said Congresswoman Dr. Maxine Dexter (OR-03). “This nomination is just one example of Trump’s reckless approach to public health. He has unleashed chaos at the National Institute of Health, shuttered USAID, and stripped countless government websites of valuable public health information. As physicians and lawmakers, we will fight his dangerous actions with every tool at our disposal.”

“We have to be clear-eyed about the threat before us: in his role as HHS Secretary, RFK Jr – at the direction of President Trump – could increase restrictions on the abortion pill, could pull it from the U.S. market altogether, and end access to this safe and effective option even in states where abortion is legal,” said Congresswoman Kelly Morrison (MN-03). “But RFK Jr. doesn’t stop there in his attacks on women. As HHS secretary, he would also make American women and girls less safe in terms of protecting them from cancer. We should have a leader of HHS who is guided by science, evidence, and who wants to promote the health and wellbeing of women, children, and families.”

"As a pediatrician, I can tell you that RFK. Jr.'s continued questioning of the safety of vaccines that have been proven time and again to be safe and effective is incredibly threatening to public health in this country and around the world," said Congresswoman Schrier (WA-08). "This is not an either-or proposition - we can have an HHS Secretary who wants healthy food, clean water, and getting the additives out of what we eat and who will not undermine all the progress we have made in combatting these vaccine-preventable diseases. I encourage the Senate to do the right thing and vote down his nomination."

“While I have only held the position of ‘Congressman’ for a little over a month, I have spent my life pursuing science and technical research, both on land and in space,” said Rep. George Whitesides (CA-27). “It should not take a group of doctors, or scientists, or members of Congress to point out that the leader of our public health system should believe in basic science. If Senators choose to confirm RFK Jr., they are threatening the lives of Americans in their home states, and across the country.”

“As a mother to two young children that nearly died in childbirth, I have deep concerns about Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s nomination for Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services,” said Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04). “His blatant embrace of misinformation and debunked, anti-scientific conspiracy theories jeopardizes the health and well-being of the American people and will have a particularly detrimental impact on vulnerable communities. We have come too far in our fight to close health disparities and increase access to health care for all Americans, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or zip code, to confirm an unqualified man who perpetuates racist tropes like Black people should have a different vaccine schedule than white people. The American people deserve someone who will fight to address disparities in our health care system and strengthen trust in science. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is not that person and will roll back generations of progress.”