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Capitol Notebook: Iowans tell Ernst to reject RFK Jr. nomination as health secretary
Also, sixth infant surrendered under Iowa Safe Haven law
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A group of Eastern Iowa residents met Tuesday in Cedar Rapids with a staff member from U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst’s office to urge the Iowa Republican to vote against the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary for his role in spreading misinformation about vaccine safety.
The group, organized by the advocacy organization Progress Iowa, said Kennedy is unfit to lead to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy, an environmental lawyer, was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to oversee the federal agencies that play a central role in directing U.S. public health policy, including vaccine development and immunization activities.
The renowned vaccine skeptic told NBC News last month that he would not “take away anybody's vaccines,” and has insisted he's not "anti-vaccine" despite his involvement with Children's Health Defense, a leading anti-vaccine group, and repeating debunked claims that vaccines cause autism. Kennedy also undermined confidence in the measles vaccine ahead of a deadly outbreak in Samoa in 2019 and promoted AIDS falsehoods, according to reporting by the New York Times.
Diana Siguenza, a retired nurse who lives in Cedar Rapids, and Sue Cahalan, a retired physician assistant from Norway, Iowa, expressed strong opposition to RFK Jr.’s nomination, citing his lack of experience in health care and his anti-vaccination stance.
They highlighted his history with the Children's Health Defense, his involvement in lawsuits against vaccines and his travels to promote anti-vaccination views. The pair said Kennedy’s confirmation could undermine public health by eroding trust in vaccines and evidence-based medicine.
Siguenza said she fears dire consequences of his potential policies, particularly for cancer research and global health. She noted that many cancer treatments are based on vaccines that help the body recognize and fight cancer cells.
Iowa has the second-highest rate of new cancer diagnoses in the nation, behind Kentucky. It also has the distinction of being the only state to report a notable increase in cancer rates in recent years.
Siguenza and Cahalan said they hope their concerns will influence Ernst’s decision.
“President Trump trusts RFK Jr. to bring more transparency to our federal public health agencies, and Senator Ernst looks forward to meeting with and vetting him,” Ernst’s office said in a statement to The Gazette.
Iowa AG urges confirmation of Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney general
Republican Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird joined a letter signed by 29 other state attorneys general to U.S. Senate leadership urging swift confirmation of Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump’s new pick for U.S. Attorney General.
Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, the incoming chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, met Monday with Bondi. The 59-year-old Trump ally was part of a team of lawyers that defended the then-president during his first Senate impeachment trial, where he was accused — but not convicted — of attempting to coerce Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate then-former Vice President Joe Biden.
Bondi, who served as Florida Attorney General from 2011 to 2019, also was involved in efforts to delegitimize the results of the 2020 presidential election that Trump lost to Biden, falsely claiming that Trump had “won Pennsylvania” at a news conference in Philadelphia and claiming voter fraud, according to reporting by the Tampa Bay Times.
She also served on a federal commission during Trump’s first term focused on combating drug addiction and the opioid crisis.
“President Trump made an exceptional choice with Pam Bondi for U.S. Attorney General,” Bird said in a statement. “Attorney General Bondi is tough, smart, and fierce. She has been a historic leader in the fight against drug abuse and human trafficking, and she will restore integrity to our federal justice system. I’ve known Attorney General Bondi both as a friend and fellow prosecutor, and I have full confidence that she will serve our country well as U.S. Attorney General.”
Iowa joined the South Carolina and Florida-led letter signed by attorneys general and attorneys general-elect from 27 other states.
Sixth infant this year relinquished under Iowa Safe Haven Law
A baby girl born Nov. 11 was surrendered through Iowa’s Safe Haven Law and now is in the care and custody of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, the state announced Tuesday. It is the sixth Save Haven Baby in Iowa this year.
Under the program, the infant will be placed with foster families until a permanent home is determined.
Iowa’s Safe Haven Law allows parents in crisis who determine they cannot care for an infant up to 90 days old to relinquish the newborn to the state. Designated safe havens include hospitals and police and fire stations. Health and Human Services then works to place relinquished infants in approved foster homes while the child awaits adoption.
Ten infants were relinquished to the state under the law in 2023; there have been a total of 72 infants relinquished since the law took effect more than two decades ago, according to the department.
More information on Iowa’s Safe Haven Law is available at hhs.iowa.gov. Iowans interested in becoming a foster parent or adopting a child can visit iowafosterandadoption.org.
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