Press Release California
Press Release
Reproductive Freedom for All Responds to RFK Jr.’s HHS Confirmation
For Immediate Release: February 13, 2025
Contact: [email protected]
Reproductive Freedom for All Responds to RFK Jr.’s HHS Confirmation
Washington, DC — Today, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). During his confirmation hearings, Kennedy repeated the statement that he “agrees with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy” and firmly committed to implementing Trump’s anti-abortion agenda. Kennedy has gone on record supporting a national abortion ban and has spread dangerous disinformation and conspiracy theories. During his first term in office, Trump deployed HHS to decimate access to reproductive health care, including access to abortion and contraception. Under the current administration, Project 2025 directs HHS to further decimate reproductive freedom by implementing previous and new policies that threaten access to abortion care, birth control, and assisted fertility treatments like IVF. Notably, anti-abortion extremists demand that Kennedy use his new role to eliminate or severely restrict access to medication abortion, despite its demonstrated safety and efficacy record – a point which Kennedy refused to disavow during his confirmation hearings.
Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju released the following statement:
“This country has never had a more unqualified extremist confirmed as HHS Secretary who will say or do anything Donald Trump tells him regardless of the consequences. RFK Jr. is not here to serve the American people, he is here to spread damaging disinformation, and further sow discourse in our democracy so he can cling to power. Kennedy has already taken a knee for Trump and will continue to be a pawn used to implement the GOP’s dangerous anti-abortion agenda.”
The Secretary of HHS oversees the implementation of programs and initiatives impacting the health and well-being of people across our country and has the power to significantly impact access to sexual and reproductive health care. The Secretary also manages essential public health programs like the Title X Family Planning Program and Medicaid, in addition to handling all complaints and investigations of emergency abortion care denials under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).
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For over 50 years, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for everybody. Reproductive Freedom for All is powered by its more than 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.