Sen. Warner Opposes RFK Jr.’s Nomination for HHS Secretary

Warns of Threats to Medical Research and Public Health

U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, spoke on the Senate floor today to voice his strong opposition to the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Ahead of Confirmation Vote, Warner Speaks on the Senate Floor to Oppose RFK Jr. and NIH Funding Cut

Citing concerns over Kennedy’s qualifications and the Trump administration’s recent proposal to cut $4 billion in federal research funding, Sen. Warner emphasized the risks such cuts pose to critical medical research and public health efforts.

“This illegal and shortsighted maneuver could decrease the kind of work that leads to medical cures and scientific breakthroughs,” Warner said. “It could devastate a major research ecosystem in Virginia, eliminate 21st-century jobs, and hurt countless American families who have been touched by cancer and other devastating diseases.”

The proposed cuts, which a federal judge has temporarily blocked, would reduce funding for National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants at universities and hospitals nationwide. According to Warner, if allowed to take effect, the cuts would significantly harm research centers in Virginia and beyond.

Warner also criticized Kennedy’s plans to fire thousands of non-partisan federal health employees at HHS and questioned his preparedness to oversee the nation’s health infrastructure. “I asked him a simple question: which experts would you fire? The folks who keep our food safe? The ones who ensure our medications are safe for children? He couldn’t answer,” Warner said.

Concerns from Virginians
Warner shared messages from constituents who feared the consequences of Kennedy’s nomination, including a pediatrician from Alexandria who warned that Kennedy’s stance on vaccines could reverse decades of progress. “In my career, I’ve seen children die from preventable diseases like measles and chickenpox,” the doctor wrote. “I never want to see that again.”

A nurse from Charlottesville expressed her alarm, noting that Kennedy’s promotion of health misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic had dangerous consequences. A Virginia Beach cancer survivor also voiced concerns, stressing that public health research is vital for long-term treatment and prevention of serious illnesses.

Warner noted that Kennedy’s nomination is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration and his new chief advisor, Elon Musk, to undermine government agencies and limit funding for public health, education, and consumer protection. “We’ve seen Musk take a hatchet to USAID, ceding leadership to China,” Warner said. “We can’t allow that same reckless approach at HHS.”

The final Senate vote on Kennedy’s confirmation is expected tomorrow morning. Warner urged his colleagues to reject the nomination and seek a qualified candidate who would strengthen the nation’s health infrastructure and safeguard research funding.