U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine has announced that she will vote to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the nation’s next health secretary. This decision is seen as a major boost for Kennedy, who was nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Earlier this year, Collins had raised concerns about some of Kennedy’s past statements where he falsely linked vaccines to autism and suggested the removal of fluoride from public water systems. However, after speaking with Kennedy about the Trump administration’s biomedical research funding cuts, Collins has decided to back his confirmation.
The Trump administration recently announced a cap on reimbursement for “indirect costs” for National Institutes of Health grants, a move that Collins criticized as arbitrary and poorly conceived. This change could result in Maine universities losing about $7.5 million in funding.
In response to the funding cuts, Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has joined 21 other state attorneys general in suing the Trump administration to prevent the change from going into effect. Kennedy has assured Collins that he will reexamine the funding cut once confirmed as health secretary.
Collins stated that Kennedy understands her concerns about the potential impact on biomedical research and clinical trials if the funding cuts were to proceed. Overall, her decision to support Kennedy’s confirmation is significant in helping him overcome some GOP holdouts and secure the necessary votes for approval.
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