Twenty-three Senate Democrats filed a resolution of disapproval Thursday calling for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to resign, citing concerns about his stance on vaccines and scientific credibility.
The resolution, led by Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., states that the Senate and American people have “zero confidence” in Kennedy’s ability to serve as HHS secretary and calls for his resignation or dismissal.
“Secretary Kennedy is an anti-vaccine, anti-science snake oil salesman,” said Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., one of the co-sponsors. “He has no credibility in the medical community or with experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Health and Human Services.”
Heinrich said Kennedy “is actively putting the health of our communities in danger” and “needs to resign now, before he does even more harm.”
The resolution was signed by 22 other Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., among others.
New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Luján did not sign the resolution but he did spar with Kennedy during a three-hour U.S. Senate hearing Thursday over the role of non-medical staff to review medical studies.
Several advocacy organizations endorsed the measure, including Protect Our Care, Public Citizen, the American Federation of Teachers and 314 Action.
Kennedy, who has previously expressed skepticism about vaccine safety and efficacy, was confirmed to lead the nation’s top health agency following his nomination by President Donald Trump.
The resolution represents the latest effort by Democrats to challenge Kennedy’s leadership of HHS, though such resolutions are largely symbolic and do not carry the force of law.