WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, today spoke on the Senate Floor as the Senate prepares to vote on the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.

Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared:

“The Senate will soon vote on the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

“America needs to be healthier. I’m a doctor. I’ve worked with patients for over 20 years as a surgeon in Wyoming.

“The problem is, our nation faces a chronic disease epidemic. Chronic diseases include diabetes, cancer, and obesity.

“Chronic diseases are so widespread that managing them accounts for 90 percent of federal health care spending. And we spend a lot of our Gross National Product on health care.

“Nearly 3 in 5 American adults and 1 in 4 American children are impacted by this. Our health care system tries to address this problem. Yet by incentivizing procedures over prevention, it often fails to address it effectively and economically.

“As a result, Americans are becoming less healthy. We need to put America on a path to good health.

“President Trump selected Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to do just that. Mr. Kennedy will bring a fresh set of eyes and ideas to important debates surrounding public health.

“Mr. Kennedy will be a voice for the vast number of Americans who were failed by the previous administration.

“The previous administration silenced reasoned debate. Mr. Kennedy will deliver accountability and transparency.

“For Americans, that means more choices and better information. It means healthy foods and healthy competition for patients. It means lower costs and higher quality care. It means increased access to care. Access is so critical to my home state of Wyoming, with our many rural and frontier communities.

“It means honest, unbiased, and trustworthy scientific research that is both innovative and accountable to the American people.

“That is Mr. Kennedy’s bold vision to revitalize America’s bill of health.

“Mr. Kennedy is clear about his mission. That mission is, as he told the Finance Committee, ‘to end the chronic disease epidemic and make America healthy again.’

“Apparently, that’s not enough for Senate Democrats.

“Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada was dismissive. At our Finance Committee hearing, I heard her say to Mr. Kennedy: ‘So that’s the only reason why you’re at HHS? To address this one issue.’

“Respectfully, addressing chronic disease is the key issue when you’re talking about healthcare.

“Mr. Kennedy testified before two Senate Committees as part of his confirmation. He responded to rigorous questions from both Republicans and Democrats. He answered those questions with candor and clarity.

“He told the Senate HELP Committee that his leadership approach will be collaborative. He pledged to ‘empower the scientists to do their jobs’ – not to impose ‘preordained opinions on anybody at HHS.’

“Mr. Kennedy was also clear that he supports vaccines.

“He told the Finance Committee, ‘I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking either of those vaccines.’

“The Senate has every reason to take him at his word.

“Mr. Kennedy is a bold choice. He is pro-health, pro-vaccine, and pro transparency. He is the right choice to make America healthy again.

“I look forward to confirming him.”

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