Mike Pence Calls on Senators to Dismiss RFK Jr. as HHS Secretary – One America News Network
OAN Staff Blake Wolf
4:38 PM – Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Former Vice President Mike Pence has urged senators to oppose the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nominee for Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary from President-elect Donald Trump.
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Pence’s conservative organization, “Advancing American Freedom,” dispatched a letter to several senators participating in Kennedy’s confirmation process, citing Kennedy’s past “pro-abortion” comments made while he was still a Democrat, according to The Daily Wire.
“Although RFK Jr. has made gestures toward pro-life leaders indicating he would consider their concerns at HHS, there is minimal assurance at this moment,” the letter from Pence’s group stated.
“Countless decisions are made daily at HHS that either advance a culture of life or detract from it—such as federal funding for Planned Parenthood, regulations on the abortion pill (which constitutes three out of every five abortions), insurance coverage of abortion, and beyond,” the correspondence continued.
Pence has also indicated that if Kennedy is confirmed, he would become “the most pro-abortion Republican appointed secretary of HHS in modern history.”
Previously, during the 2024 campaign, Kennedy started as a Democrat but briefly supported a first-trimester abortion ban before retracting that stance, later promising to uphold “a woman’s right to choose” regarding her body.
Nonetheless, in December, Kennedy met with Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), assuring him that he would restore Trump’s policy for states to determine their own abortion laws without Democratic interference. Trump has consistently stated that while he is personally pro-life, he believes that abortion decisions should be made at the state level.
“Today I met with @RobertKennedyJr – we had a substantial discussion regarding American healthcare and his plans to confront Big Pharma. We also delved deeply into pro-life policies at HHS,” Hawley noted in a post on X.
“He assured me that he would reinstate President Trump’s pro-life policies at HHS, including the Mexico City policy and halting taxpayer funding for abortions within the country,” he added.
“He also vowed to reverse the Biden administration’s Section 1557 rule and stated that all of his deputies at HHS would have pro-life beliefs. He expressed that there are far too many abortions occurring in the U.S. and asserted that we cannot claim the moral high ground globally with such high abortion rates,” Hawley stated further.
Kennedy also engaged with Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), who inquired about his stance on abortion.
“I asked him, ‘What exactly is your stance? I need to know, as you’ve expressed various viewpoints on this,’” Mullin recounted.
Kennedy replied, “I believe there are too many abortions happening globally. That’s a starting point. It’s not that I don’t cherish life; I do value life but perceive it differently in certain contexts based on our family experiences.”
“What does that mean for your pro-life position?” Mullin questioned, adding, “He responded: ‘I am serving at the discretion of the President of the United States; his policies are what I will advocate. While we may not see eye to eye on every issue, we share the belief that ideally, abortions shouldn’t even occur. What I push forward will reflect the President’s views, and the public understands where he stands.’”
“If he’s prepared to express that, I support his appointment as Secretary of HHS. Despite my deep pro-life convictions, I believe Bobby is the right candidate for the role,” Mullin concluded.
Despite Kennedy’s attempts to address Republican concerns about an alleged “pro-abortion” HHS, Pence’s organization continues to advocate against Kennedy’s confirmation.
“Regardless of the strengths of RFK Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again initiative or any other qualities a nominee might possess, the Secretary of HHS must have a solid commitment to safeguarding unborn lives or succumb to external pressures regarding these critical daily decisions,” the letter stressed.
“We strongly urge you to reject the nomination of any pro-abortion candidates for HHS. RFK Jr. and any other nominated HHS Secretary must furnish satisfactory responses to the crucial pro-life inquiries attached to this correspondence. The pro-life movement has a robust roster of courageous leaders eager to serve the American public as head of HHS,” the organization remarked.
Kennedy has additionally committed to “Make America Healthy Again” by tackling the nation’s “epidemic” of chronic illnesses, asserting that Americans have been “systematically harmed by Big Pharma and Big Food.”
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