The question of whether will rfk be confirmed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) isn't actually a question of the future anymore. It’s a matter of the history books now.
Honestly, if you’ve been scrolling through social media lately, you might think the debate is still raging. People are still arguing about his views on fluoride, raw milk, and seed oils like the vote hasn't happened. But it has. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was officially confirmed by the United States Senate on February 13, 2025.
It was tight. Really tight.
The final tally was 52-48. That's basically the narrowest margin you can get away with in a room that divided. If you’re looking for the drama, it wasn't just in the numbers; it was in the room when the gavel hit.
The Day the Senate Decided
The confirmation process for RFK Jr. wasn't some boring procedural walkthrough. It was a circus. For weeks, the halls of the Senate Finance Committee and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee were packed.
One name you probably heard a lot during that time was Senator Bill Cassidy. He’s a physician from Louisiana, and he was the one everyone was watching. He had some serious, public reservations about Kennedy's vaccine stances.
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Cassidy eventually voted "yes," but he didn't do it for free. He reportedly struck a deal where he and Kennedy would meet multiple times a month to discuss policy.
Who Voted No?
While the Republican caucus mostly held the line, there was one major defector. Mitch McConnell—the guy who usually keeps the party in lockstep—voted against Kennedy. McConnell, a polio survivor, didn't hide his concerns about someone with Kennedy's history of vaccine skepticism running the agency that oversees the CDC and FDA.
On the other side, the Democrats were a solid wall of "no." Senator Chuck Schumer didn't pull any punches, calling Kennedy one of the "least qualified people" to ever be nominated for the role.
What’s Happened Since the Confirmation?
Now that he’s actually in the seat, the "will rfk be confirmed" debate has shifted into "what is he actually doing?" It turns out, he’s doing exactly what he said he’d do. He’s shaking things up.
Just this month—January 2026—we’ve seen some massive moves from the HHS.
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- Vaccine Schedules: The CDC recently reduced the number of recommended vaccines for children. This included removing the hepatitis B vaccine from the newborn schedule, a move that has public health experts like Dr. Samuel So at Stanford deeply worried.
- Dietary Guidelines: Kennedy basically took the old food pyramid and flipped it. The new 2026 guidelines focus heavily on "ending the war on protein," encouraging red meat and full-fat dairy while attacking ultra-processed foods.
- Funding Freezes: In a move that felt more like a political grenade, Kennedy froze $10 billion in federal funding to five Democrat-led states (Minnesota, California, New York, Illinois, and Colorado), citing fraud investigations.
It’s a lot to process.
The "Make America Healthy Again" Reality
The MAHA movement wasn't just a campaign slogan. Since being confirmed, Kennedy has been remaking advisory committees from the ground up. He recently appointed new members to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), including Dr. Adam Urato and Dr. Kimberly Biss.
These aren't your typical bureaucratic appointments. They represent a fundamental shift in how the government looks at medical evidence and public trust.
Some people love it. They think he’s finally "cleaning house." Others are terrified that he’s dismantling decades of public health infrastructure.
The Hurdles That Nearly Stopped Him
Looking back at the confirmation hearings in late January 2025, it’s wild how close he came to failing. The debate over his 2019 trip to Samoa—where a measles outbreak killed 83 people—was a massive sticking point. Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii gave a blistering speech about it, arguing that a "yes" vote was a vote to "make people unsafe."
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Ultimately, the political gravity of the Trump administration’s mandate was too strong for the GOP to ignore.
Why the Question Still Lingers
So why are people still searching for will rfk be confirmed in 2026?
Part of it is the sheer volume of litigation and "shadow" confirmation battles happening in the courts. While he has the job, his actions are constantly being challenged. Every time he tries to pull funding or change a regulation, it ends up in front of a judge.
It feels like a permanent confirmation hearing.
Actionable Insights for 2026
If you’re trying to navigate the new landscape under Secretary Kennedy, here’s what you actually need to know:
- Check Your Local State Health Department: Since Kennedy is clashing with several states over funding, your local health services might look different depending on where you live. Blue states are currently scrambling to find alternative funding for programs Kennedy has frozen.
- Watch the FDA: The "MAHA" focus on processed foods is going to change labeling. If you’re in the food business or just care about what’s in your cereal, expect new regulations on additives and dyes by mid-2026.
- Vaccine Access: The federal recommendations have changed, but your state still sets the requirements for school entry. Don't assume your local school's rules have changed just because the CDC's "suggested" list has.
- Follow the Oversight: Senator Cassidy and other "skeptical" Republicans are holding regular oversight hearings. These are actually more informative than the news snippets because they show where the friction is within the administration itself.
The confirmation is over, but the impact is just getting started. Whether you think he’s a savior or a disaster, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is firmly in control of the nation's health apparatus.
To stay updated on the specific policy changes coming out of the HHS, you can monitor the official press releases at HHS.gov or follow the Senate Finance Committee's oversight schedule for the 119th Congress.