Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed by the US Senate as Secretary of Health by a vote of 52 to 48.[1][2][5] The only Republican to vote against was Senator Mitch McConnell, a polio survivor.[1][2][5] Kennedy promised to protect existing vaccination programs.[1][2][4] The Department of Health administers more than three trillion dollars in health care spending and the Medicare and Medicaid programs for more than 140 million Americans.[1][2][4] Agencies such as the FDA and the CDC fall under his purview.[1][2][4] In August 2025, he announced a significant cut in funding for mRNA vaccine research.[3] He cut $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine development and fired all 17 members of the CDC advisory committee responsible for vaccine recommendations.[6]