Industry Responds to RFK Jr.’s Confirmation as Health Secretary
On Feb. 13, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., received U.S. Senate confirmation to become the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees agencies regulating the food industry and supermarket pharmacies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Several industry groups were quick to congratulate him on his appointment.
FMI – The Food Industry Association President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin offered the following statement: “HHS and FDA are critical agencies for ensuring the safety and affordability of our food and drug supply. FMI and our members congratulate the newly confirmed Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and look forward to collaborating with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. − and the new teams at HHS and FDA − to ensure that policies and regulations enhance safety and affordability and do not unnecessarily drive up food or drug costs.
“We are ready to begin working with Secretary Kennedy to strengthen our nation’s complex and interconnected food and drug supply chain while reducing regulatory burdens to ensure that all Americans have access to safe, nutritious and affordable food.”
As the food industry association, Arlington, Va.-based FMI works with and on behalf of the entire industry to advance a safer, healthier and more efficient consumer food supply chain. FMI brings together a wide range of members across the value chain — from retailers that sell to consumers, to producers that supply food and other products, as well as the wide variety of companies providing critical services — to amplify the collective work of the industry.
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Meanwhile, the Consumer Brands Association issued the following statement from Sarah Gallo, SVP of federal affairs: "Consumer Brands congratulates Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on his appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services. The makers of America’s household brands deliver safe, affordable and convenient products that consumers want, need and trust. Keeping consumers and their families safe is our No. 1priority. The federal regulatory agencies within HHS operate under a science and risk-based mandate, and it is critical that framework remains under the new administration. As the largest domestic manufacturing employer, supporting more than 22 million American jobs, we stand ready to work with Secretary Kennedy and qualified experts within HHS to support public health, build consumer trust and promote consumer choice.”
The Washington, D.C.-based Consumer Brands Association champions the CPG industry. From household and personal care to food and beverage products, the CPG industry plays a vital role in powering the U.S. economy, contributing $2.5 trillion to U.S. GDP, according to the organization.
