The Heritage Foundation has extended its congratulations to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. following his appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.
Dr. Kevin Roberts, President of The Heritage Foundation, expressed his support for the nomination, stating: “The nomination of Robert Kennedy Jr. to lead the nation’s largest public health agency is an enormous victory for the bipartisan, grassroots movement to make America healthy again." He emphasized that Kennedy's independent presidential campaign brought attention to important issues ignored by Washington, such as chronic diseases and the influence of large corporations on public health.
Roberts further commented on the current state of American health care: "For decades, Americans' life expectancy has stagnated and our health has declined, all while our costs skyrocket and our bureaucracy expands." He sees this nomination as a signal for change within the public health system.
Roger Severino, Vice President for Domestic Policy at The Heritage Foundation, also praised Kennedy's appointment. He described Kennedy as "a truth-teller dedicated to saving our children from a broken health system that is structured to profit off illness instead of prevention and cures." Severino believes it is time for significant reform in healthcare and trusts Kennedy to be pivotal in this process.
Severino concluded with hopes that Secretary Kennedy will challenge established medical and pharmaceutical systems and focus on science-driven policies: “I look forward to seeing Secretary Kennedy end the corruption of the medical and pharmaceutical establishment, promote a new positive vision of American health, and refocus the agency on its core mission of serving the American people based on science and common sense."
