RFK Jr’s abortion ‘concern’: Senate GOP plans to scrutinize Trump HHS choose’s place

Senate Republicans are getting ready to probe Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on his pro-choice stance after the previous presidential candidate was chosen by President-elect Trump to be his nominee to go the Division of Well being and Human Providers. 

Kennedy, a former Democrat, has involved plenty of Senate Republicans over his espoused views on abortion. His former presidential marketing campaign reportedly mentioned he believed it “must be left as much as the girl and her physician.” 

Over the summer time, Kennedy shared a video on social media, writing in a put up, “I help the rising consensus that abortion must be unrestricted up till a sure level.” 

He advised that this restrict must be “when the newborn is viable outdoors the womb.” Viability is known to happen round 24 weeks gestation. 

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RFK Jr.’s choice by Trump for HHS is stirring some issues amongst Republicans.  (Reuters I iStock)

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., a staunch pro-life advocate, advised Fox Information Digital, “It’s going to come up within the listening to 100%. There isn’t any query that this will likely be a difficulty. I’ll increase it if nobody else does.” 

He defined that his workplace is compiling an inventory of “all the issues that the primary Trump administration did for all times via HHS, as a result of they had been very energetic in that space.” 

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Lankford is a pro-life advocate. (Reuters)

Lankford pointed to HHS’ work when it got here to conscience protections for abortion and taking over Deliberate Parenthood as examples. 

“There’s quite a lot of issues that they did in the course of the first Trump administration via HHS. So, we’re compiling that checklist, and that’ll undoubtedly be my checklist of questions,” he mentioned. 

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., a member of the Senate Committee on Well being, Schooling, Labor and Pensions, mentioned, “There’s a number of questions I need to speak to him about.”

He defined he wished to see precisely what RFK Jr.’s place is — “How far? What month?”

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Tuberville says he plans to ask Kennedy questions. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Photographs)

HELP committee rating member Invoice Cassidy, R-La., mentioned, “We’ll do our due diligence, however I am certain anyone will ask that. How might they not?” 

Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., advised Fox Information Digital abortion was a priority of his in relation to RFK Jr.

Whereas a number of Republicans are cautious about Trump’s choose for HHS, some expressed confidence that he would act in keeping with the administration. 

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“I might absolutely anticipate any of Trump’s nominees to be pro-life, as is President Trump,” mentioned Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C.

However, he mentioned, “It does should be addressed.”

“I consider what he will do is do the fitting factor,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., mentioned of RFK Jr.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., advised Fox Information Digital “he’ll be requested a query, and we’ll see how he solutions. And we’ll take it from there.”

An unoccupied restoration space, left, and an abortion process room at a Deliberate Parenthood Arizona middle in Tempe, Ariz., June 30, 2022.  (AP Picture/Matt York, File)

Katie Miller, a Trump-Vance transition spokesperson, advised Fox Information Digital in a press release, “Mr. Kennedy has each intention of supporting President Trump’s agenda to the fullest extent. That is President Trump’s administration that Robert F. Kennedy has been requested to serve in, and he’ll perform the insurance policies Individuals overwhelmingly voted for in President Trump’s historic victory.” 

The issues aired by Senate Republicans come as some conservative and pro-life teams have already sounded the alarm bell on the HHS choose. 

“I consider the nomination of RFK Jr. to function secretary of HHS is an abrupt departure from the pro-life document of our administration and must be deeply regarding to tens of millions of pro-life Individuals who’ve supported the Republican Social gathering and our nominees for many years,” former Vice President Mike Pence mentioned in a press release from his group, Advancing American Freedom, final week.

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The president of prime pro-life group Susan B. Anthony Professional Life America, Marjorie Dannenfelser, expressed her personal fear, saying in a press release, “There isn’t any query that we’d like a pro-life HHS secretary, and, after all, we have now issues about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”

However she signaled confidence in Trump’s administration to uphold pro-life values. 

“I consider that irrespective of who’s HHS secretary, baseline insurance policies set by President Trump throughout his first time period will likely be reestablished,” Dannenfelser mentioned.