Chicago – January 07, 2025
Hawaii’s Governor Josh Green, a Democrat and practicing physician, is on Capitol Hill this week urging lawmakers to reject Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).
In a Tuesday op-ed in The New York Times, Green warned that appointing Kennedy would jeopardize children’s health.
As a doctor, Green has continued practicing emergency medicine even during his political career. In 2019, while serving as Hawaii’s lieutenant governor, he played a key role in boosting vaccination rates in Samoa during a measles outbreak.
Now, as the only U.S. governor who is also a physician, Green feels responsible for offering informed advice on critical cabinet picks.
Green criticized Kennedy for his anti-vaccine views, especially during the Samoa outbreak, when Kennedy allegedly spread vaccine misinformation. Green accused Kennedy of scaring Samoans away from vaccines, worsening the crisis.
During his meetings, Green is exploring alternative roles for Kennedy, calling his potential HHS leadership “unsafe for children.” His concerns echo those of other leaders, including Sen. Bill Cassidy and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who have criticized Kennedy’s vaccine stance and its potential impact on public health policy. Green plans to continue his meetings through Thursday.
