Senators pressed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on his past vaccine and abortion remarks in the first of two days of hearings before senators vote on whether to confirm him as President Trump’s health secretary.

If approved, Kennedy will control a $1.7 trillion agency that oversees food and hospital inspections, hundreds of health clinics, vaccine recommendations and health insurance for roughly half the country.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confronted with a number of his baseless claims and a vexing abortion issue. But Republican senators treaded lightly.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee for health secretary, repeatedly confused Medicare and Medicaid. He also tried to convince senators he was not against vaccines, despite past statements.

If confirmed by the Senate, Kennedy would head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees many of the country’s health agencies, from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said vaccines are not safe. His support for abortion access has made conservatives uncomfortable.

President Donald Trump has signed an order to declassify government records relating to the assassination of JFK Jr., Newsweek's live blog is closed.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a former presidential candidate and environmental activist, endorsed Donald Trump last year and threw his weight behind a campaign to “Make America Healthy Again.” For the past two decades he has been best known for airing skeptical views on vaccines.

Kennedy vowed to fight chronic disease and called abortion a tragedy.

Heading into the third hour of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearing in Senate Finance, it’s clear Democrats remain deeply troubled by Kennedy’s past skepticism of vaccines. They have dug into

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Learn about his political beliefs, wife, kids, and more.

Mr. Kennedy appears to have most Republicans behind him as he seeks the job of health secretary, though he couldn’t escape his past stances on vaccines and abortion.