RFK Jr. set to face Bill Cassidy in back-to-back Senate hearings

Health newsRFK Jr. set to face Cassidy in back-to-back Senate hearingsCassidy cast the key vote to confirm Kennedy last year after securing a series of promises from Kennedy. The health secretary has not kept those promises. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Senator Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Jim Watson / AFP - Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 22, 2026, 5:00 AM EDTBy Berkeley Lovelace Jr.Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. heads to Capitol Hill on Wednesday on a potential collision course with the Republican who helped put him in the job: Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.It will be Kennedy’s first appearance in nearly a year before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, which Cassidy chairs. The senator, who is up for reelection, cast the key vote to confirm Kennedy last year after securing a series of promises from Kennedy, including that he would preserve federal vaccine recommendations and regularly appear before the committee.Kennedy has not kept those promises; Cassidy has limited his criticism of the health secretary to posts on social media and press statements. He has been vocal in his support of vaccines, including during the March confirmation hearing for Dr. Casey Means, a Kennedy ally who has questioned vaccines. Cassidy has not yet scheduled a vote to advance Means’ nomination.Wednesday’s hearing will mark Kennedy’s first appearance before Cassidy since a confrontational Senate Finance Committee hearing in September and could offer the clearest sign yet of how the senator plans to handle those concerns. A spokesperson for Cassidy declined to comment on what the senator plans to ask Kennedy.Kennedy is also expected to face questions from Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who is retiring next year and has said he plans to speak more freely about his views, including on members of...