(29 Jan 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
POOL
Washington, DC – 29 January 2025
1. Wide shot of hearing
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada:
"A pregnant woman with a life threatening bleed, bleeding from an incomplete miscarriage goes to the E.R. and her doctor also determines that she needs an emergency abortion. But she’s in a state where abortion is banned. You would agree also as an attorney that federal law protects her right to that emergency care, correct?"
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Health and Human Services Secretary Nominee:
"Um, I don’t know. I mean the answer to that is I don’t know. I mean, if the state bans in…"
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada:
"Well, let me ask you this. As an attorney, doesn’t federal law preempt state law?"
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Health and Human Services Secretary Nominee:
"The federal Constitution does. Sometimes, not every federal law preempts state law. It could be unconstitutional. Now, I’m not trying to be evasive, Senator, I’m just telling you I don’t know the answer to that question."
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada:
"I appreciate that. But what authority do you have over this, as the director of HHS (Health and Human Services?"
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Health and Human Services Secretary Nominee:
"My understanding is that I have budgetary power and that it’s pretty much limited to that. And if you tell me I have another authority, I don’t even think that we have a law enforcement branch at HHS."
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada:
"Actually you do. And that’s the CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services). The CMS actually investigates complaints of internal violations, as well as the Health and Human Services inspector general, who, by the way, was just recently fired by Donald Trump. So you will be enforcing him to follow laws. And it’s important that you understand their impact and don’t play politics with the patient presenting at the E.R. based on a position that this administration has taken."
9. Wide shot of hearing
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Bernie Sanders, Independent-Vermont:
"There is no question that abortion is a divisive issue in this country. A year and a half ago, you went to New Hampshire. Running for president, gave a speech and you talked about government should not tell a woman what she can do with her own body. That’s her choice. Now, I think everybody on that side is pro-life. I think everybody here is pro-choice. I have never seen any major politician flip on that issue quite as quickly as you did when Trump asked you to become HHS secretary. Tell me why you think people should have confidence in your consistency and on your word when you really made a major U-turn on an issue of that importance in such a short time?"
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Health and Human Services Secretary Nominee:
"Senator, I believe and I’ve always believed that every abortion is a tragedy.
(Sanders: But you told the people of New Hampshire that it was their right.)"
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Bernie Sanders, Independent-Vermont:
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Health and Human Services Secretary Nominee:
"Senator, I have no power over that organization. I’m not part of it. I resigned from the board.
(Sanders: That was just a few months ago. You founded that. You certainly have power.)"
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Sen. Bernie Sanders, Independent-Vermont:
"Are you supportive of these onesies?
19. Cutaway of Kennedy
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