Thursday's vote puts the vaccine skeptic in control of $1.7 trillion in federal spending, vaccine recommendations and food safety as well as health insurance programs for roughly half the country.
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Kennedy managed to allay the concerns of several key GOP senators over his anti-vaccine activism. Mitch McConnell was the lone Republican to vote against him.
The Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services in a 52-48 vote Thursday. Kennedy's nomination for the role was considered controversial in part because of his past statements on vaccines.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been sworn in as President Donald Trump’s health secretary. The Senate on Thursday confirmed him, voting 52 to 48.