Welch highlights RFK Jr.’s lack of plans to fix broken health care system 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today raised concerns about the character and fitness of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee to be the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), to lead HHS’ ten public health service agencies and three human services agencies. Senator Welch also expressed concern about the lack of concrete plans by the Trump Administration and Mr. Kennedy to lower health care costs for Vermont families. 

Watch the exchange between Senator Welch and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s pick for Secretary of Health: 

Read excerpts of Senator Welch’s questioning below: 

“This is not just about a debate about vaccines. It’s a debate about the qualifications, experience, and priorities as to the person that will head Health and Human Services. And it’s not just about what your answers are today or what the questions are.” 

“The question I fundamentally have is whether your willingness to disrupt and maybe break rules is going to be dangerous and destructive.”  

“There’s incidents that do, I think, concern the question of whether the stability is there to be in charge of this major organization. That’s compounded by my concern that you don’t have any experience managing a large organization. That you don’t have any experience in government. So, those are things that have to be taken into account…” 

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“I’ve seen nothing coming out of the Trump Administration–and I’ve seen nothing coming out of your advocacy–that is going after what is a rampant abuse by the insurance companies and overcharging people and not doing the job. 

“It’s a broken health care system. We spend the most and get the least. And I think there should be collective anger about on this by both sides. Because all of our people are dependent on that health care system.” 

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