Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., declared during a Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Senate confirmation hearing Thursday that his granddaughter would not receive certain vaccines, citing his family's independent research, Mediaite reported.
"I've had my first granddaughter here in a couple of weeks," Tuberville told Kennedy during the hearing. "And my son and his wife have done their research about vaccines. And she's not gonna be a pin cushion. We're not gonna allow that to happen."
Tuberville did not specify which vaccines his granddaughter would forgo. However, he suggested that pharmaceutical companies influence scientific vaccine research to maximize sales.
"Let's empower scientists to do their job," Tuberville said. "You know, let's go by what they do. Let's don't just do something for the pharmaceutical companies."
Kennedy, an outspoken critic of vaccine mandates, has long been at odds with mainstream medical organizations over his views on immunization.
President Donald Trump's nomination of Kennedy to head the Department of Health and Human Services has drawn mixed reactions within the Republican Party. While many GOP senators back Kennedy's appointment, some have expressed reservations.
During the confirmation hearing, Democrat senators intensely questioned Kennedy, particularly about his reported history of being a vaccine skeptic.
Last month, Kennedy, who is pro-choice, met with Tuberville and assured the senator that he and Trump had reached "an agreement" on the matter of abortion.
With the GOP holding a slim 53-47 majority in the upper chamber, just a few Republican defections could sink the nomination. Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky have previously broken with Trump, raising uncertainty over Kennedy's path to confirmation, U.S. News and World Report reported.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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