[Page S933]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  NOMINATION OF ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR.

  Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. President, on the eve of the vote for the 
nominee for the Department of Health and Human Services, I stand before 
you acknowledging that I will vote no on the confirmation of Mr. Robert 
F. Kennedy.
  I stand before you tonight after looking at his abilities, his 
background and qualifications, and his character. For me, I listened to 
my constituents and the calls that we have received into our office. 
And I have read articles. I have looked at petitions and lawsuits. I 
have listened to podcasts, and even watched a video that he produced.
  There were inconsistencies in his positions, and so that is one 
reason that I could say no to this candidate.
  Even as the former deputy secretary of health and social services 
from Delaware, I thought about the potential for another pandemic in 
our country and would he be ready for the job?
  I thought about the fact that I come from a State that is also an 
agriculture State, and we are right now dealing with issues and 
concerns and fears about avian flu. Would he be ready for the job?
  I have thought about senior citizens in my State who are on Medicare 
and children with special needs who may be on Medicaid, and the fact 
that in our hearing and also in my one-on-one conversation with him, he 
confused the two. Even within a week's time, he did not learn the 
differences between the two.
  That was concerning enough, but tonight, in the time that I have, I 
want to also say I stand here as a grandmother, and I think about my 
granddaughter Lennox and her ability to, No. 1, be safe in school, 
because she is vaccinated, and she is with other children who are 
vaccinated and no longer have to worry about things like polio. I think 
about her ability to have reproductive freedom over her own life, when 
Mr. Kennedy has changed his positions so many times on where he stands 
on reproductive freedom and the right for her to choose what she wants 
for her life.
  But I think one of the most troubling things that took place during 
our meeting was that he was not familiar with the Emergency Medical 
Treatment and Labor Act, EMTALA, while we literally have a crisis in 
maternal mortality. It is important to me that the person who holds 
this job understands those basic things--Medicare, Medicaid, EMTALA--
and that we face a challenge for women's lives being saved.
  I asked him specifically if he agreed about making sure that, if 
someone was having complications during their pregnancy, that they 
should get the care that they need. This is both something that is 
being experienced across the country, but it is also personal for me.
  A few years ago, after my son and daughter-in-law went through so 
much to get pregnant through IVF, on Christmas morning, I remember 
beginning to make the family dinner, and I got a call from my daughter-
in-law saying: Mom, something is wrong. My water broke.
  She was only about 5, 6 months pregnant--about 5 months pregnant. And 
she went to a hospital. And I got to that hospital, and because I knew, 
from my former jobs, of the statistics, particularly for Black women 
and maternal deaths--I saw her sitting in a wheelchair in the waiting 
room not being attended. The hospital ended up telling her she needed 
to go home and just basically wait it out.
  For that whole month afterward, my son and my daughter-in-law stayed 
in my house. They slept in my bed. We supported each other.
  But because of the miracle of IVF, they were able to conceive again, 
and 2 years ago this weekend, I became a grandmother of my 
granddaughter Lennox.
  Tonight, I stand here on behalf of the children who want and need to 
be healthy. I stand here on behalf of the women across the country who 
need to know that there is a Cabinet Secretary who understands the need 
for emergency care, who understands the rights of women to make choices 
with their doctors and their families, and, if they have a pastor or a 
rabbi, with their rabbi and their pastor.
  As someone who has focused much of my career on health and social 
services and dealing with health disparities, it is important that we 
do better as a country with our health status and that we are 
healthier.
  But I go back to the beginning. Does the candidate have the 
qualifications, the background, the character, and the ability? For 
this candidate, unfortunately, the answer is no.
  And tonight, I stand here for all of the children of our country, all 
of the families of our country, and I will be voting no on this 
nomination.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.

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