Sen. Bill Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, concluded Thursday's hearing by saying he was "struggling" with the nomination due to Kennedy's vaccine positions. Kennedy notably refused to say vaccines don't cause autism as he faced pointed question from lawmakers.

Kennedy Jr. on Thursday struggled to answer questions about Medicare, refused to rule out a debunked link between autism and vaccines, and said he would entertain conspiracy theories about the Sept. 11,

Three of President Donald Trump’s most vulnerable Cabinet nominees appeared in front of Senate panels for their confirmation hearings this week. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nominee for secretary of Health and Human services,