Josh Green, the Democratic governor of Hawaii and a practicing physician, is at the Capitol this week to lobby lawmakers who oppose Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services. In a Tuesday op-ed in the New York Times, he argued that “our children’s lives depend” on preventing Kennedy from leading the agency.
Mr. Green, who worked as a physician before entering politics, continued to practice emergency medicine throughout his career as a member of Congress. In 2019, as Hawaii’s lieutenant governor, Green spearheaded efforts to increase vaccination rates in Samoa amid a measles outbreak in the region. Greene will arrive in the nation’s capital on Sunday evening to begin talks that will last until her return to Hawaii on Thursday.
“As the only physician governor, I have to explain what makes a good choice for my Cabinet and what makes a not-so-good choice,” Greene said in a video ahead of her trip to Washington, adding that her lobbying against Kennedy It was pointed out that the activities were not appropriate. Personally or politically motivated. ”[RFK Jr’s] “His appointment as Director of Health and Human Services is inconsistent with the safety of our children,” he said.
RFK JR. said he plans to meet with Democrats to seek President Trump’s confirmation as HHS secretary
During her visit to Washington, Greene said she would seek a “better place” with lawmakers and other leaders. [RFK Jr.] He insisted it was “not” HHS and called his possible confirmation a “bad idea.”
Hawaii Governor Josh Green speaks at the National Governors Association’s 2024 Summer Meeting in Salt Lake City, Thursday, July 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), the incoming chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said the potential future Secretary of Health and Human Services was “wrong on the vaccine issue. “There is,” he said. The criticism comes after news broke that one of Kennedy’s former colleagues at the health-focused nonprofit Children’s Health Defense, where he previously served as chairman, petitioned the government to revoke recognition in 2019. This was in response to concerns that Kennedy would try to abolish the polio vaccine.
According to Greene, Sen. Kennedy and others, Greene’s criticism of Kennedy has mainly revolved around his anti-vaccination views, and in particular about Kennedy’s response to the measles outbreak in Samoa. Kennedy, who may become a potential candidate, has fueled doubts about the vaccine’s effectiveness. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. These efforts included a letter that Kennedy sent to the prime minister as chair of the Children’s Health Defense Committee, suggesting that the measles vaccine could potentially be infectious. . made the epidemic worse.
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President-elect Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be HHS Secretary. (Getty Images)
The Democratic governor penned an op-ed published in the New York Times on Tuesday, continuing to train President Kennedy’s anti-vaccine efforts amid Samoa’s 2019 measles outbreak. According to Greene, Kennedy “used misinformation to scare all Samoans away from getting vaccinated” and “sabotaged” the country’s vaccination efforts.
“Entrusting Mr. Kennedy with the direction of these plans relies heavily on our commitment to truth and the life-saving power of vaccines. The lives of our children depend on it,” Greene said. wrote.
RFK JR. tries to reassure senators with comments about vaccines
Kennedy’s team has not responded to repeated attempts by Fox News Digital to contact him, but in 2023, Kennedy said during an appearance in a short film that he “never told anyone not to get vaccinated.” “I didn’t even go to get vaccinated,” he said. [to Samoa] Furthermore, amid concerns about how President Kennedy would approach the polio vaccine, he told reporters at the Capitol last month that he was “completely in favor of the polio vaccine.”
A medical professional preparing a vaccine or treatment injection. (St. Petersburg)
Supporters of Mr. Kennedy’s nomination have suggested that, if confirmed, his proposed plan would be rooted in logic and science.
“I think President Kennedy has aimed to support evidence-based policy changes,” said Nina Teicholz, a nutrition expert and founder of the New York-based nonprofit Nutrition Coalition. says.
In an article published by Free Press, Dr. Vinay Prasad said, “Currently, the media is covering RFK Jr. poorly and unfairly, failing to give him credit for ideas that are well within the scope of discussion.” he added. “There is logic to many of RFK Jr.’s ideas.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to Greene’s office for comment, but did not hear back by the time of publication.
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