Western South Dakota News

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed his support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services, emphasizing Kennedy's commitment to transforming the agency into a collaborative and transparent entity. During his remarks on the Senate floor, Thune highlighted the erosion of public trust in health authorities due to inconsistent guidance during the pandemic.

Thune stated, "Mr. President, this week the Senate will consider the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be secretary of health and human services." He praised Kennedy's dedication to making HHS a "collaborative, transparent, and science-driven agency."

Addressing concerns about public trust, Thune noted that many Americans were frustrated by contradictory guidance from government agencies during the pandemic. He emphasized that rebuilding trust is crucial for making America healthy again.

Kennedy has pledged to increase transparency and accountability at HHS, including enhanced collaboration with Congress for oversight purposes. Thune was pleased with Kennedy's acknowledgment of vaccines' importance amid declining uptake rates in the country.

"Mr. Kennedy has pledged that he will maintain the best vaccine standards," said Thune, adding that Kennedy is committed to working within existing vaccine approval systems.

Thune also mentioned Kennedy's focus on chronic diseases affecting Americans and his intention to implement pro-life policies at HHS in line with President Trump's agenda.

Furthermore, Thune acknowledged Kennedy's willingness to collaborate with farmers and ranchers on food supply policies: "America’s farmers and ranchers are a valuable resource."

Thune expressed optimism about restoring trust in public health agencies through Kennedy's collaborative approach: "I believe that Mr. Kennedy’s collaborative approach to this job will help restore some of the trust in our public health agencies."

The senator also addressed Democrats' opposition during the nominations process: "Democrats are obviously trying to slow down the process." He noted that despite opposition, Republicans aim to maintain an aggressive pace for confirmations under President Trump’s administration.

In conclusion, Thune underscored President Trump's commitment to diversity within his Cabinet while highlighting previous administrations' bipartisan appointments: "President Bush’s first Cabinet included a Democrat... But this trend stopped with President Biden."

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