Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday praised Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s message on food issues and said he has not yet decided whether to oppose President-elect Donald Trump's pick of Kennedy to lead the nation's health agency.
The independent Vermont senator said in an interview with CBS News reporter Natalie Bland that he's worried about some Kennedy's perspective 'Extremely dangerous' on health issues, criticizes Kennedy's call La Fluorine America's water system and its 'very wrong' view vaccine.
But the Vermont independent also said he might be able to find common ground in working with Kennedy, echoing Kennedy's criticism of the food industry's influence in Washington.
“I think what he said about the food industry is absolutely right. I think the food industry cares about their profits and probably cares less about the health of the American people. I think they have to accept that,” Sanders told Brand.
Sanders, who currently chairs the Senate Health Committee, said he last spoke to Kennedy several years ago. He said he looked forward to sitting down and talking with Trump's picks to lead other health agencies that will report to Kennedy.
“For years, Trump and Kennedy himself have viewed the fact that we are paying by far the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs as a health issue. If I recall correctly, Kennedy also talked about the need for Americans to not have to pay more than people in other countries. A lot of money, and I think that's absolutely right,” he said.
Sanders spoke with Brand after the hearing, in which he blasted FDA officials in the Biden administration for failing to address the “terrible epidemic” of obesity and diabetes in the United States.
“Do I think the FDA has delivered the urgency needed to address this crisis? No, I don't think so. That's the point I want to make today,” Sanders said.
Sanders' stance on Kennedy contrasts with that of committee member Sen. Ed Markey.
“Some will say his remarks about the importance of diet and healthy food are reasonable,” the Massachusetts Democrat said during the hearing. “However, a reasonable opinion does not make someone qualified to govern the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.” Service Department.
Sanders declined to respond to Markey's comments when asked.
'We are decades behind'
At the hearing, FDA officials defended the agency's work on food issues and deflected much criticism of the agency on lawmakers for falling short on issues such as reviewing the safety of chemicals added to food. Biden administration’s budget request.
“We are decades behind our European and Canadian counterparts in that they have the legal authority to re-evaluate chemicals that have been authorized at some point in the past. We don't, but we will. But we certainly will,” said the FDA's deputy commissioner for human food. “We are working hard to secure the resources we need to make this happen,” said Jim Jones.
FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf also warned that the agency faces an increasingly fierce battle in pushing for new rules, as has long-stalled efforts go ahead New 'healthy' standards and nutrition labels to be put on front of food packages and crackdown on on cigarettes.
“Given the state of judicial affairs, First Amendment rights, the fact that corporations have equal rights as individuals, every little thing we do, unless specifically directed by Congress in detail, we not only lose in court, we lose year,” Kalief said.
One long-awaited change that could see progress soon is a ban on red No. 3 dye, for which advocacy groups have petitioned. California last year became the first state to ban food dyes on its own due to health concerns.
“We're hopeful that within the next few weeks we'll be taking action on that petition and a decision will be made soon,” Jones said.
In her clash with Califf, Sanders urged Califf to condemn “the food and beverage industry, whose greed is destroying the health of millions” for their role in slowing progress on the agency's food policy.
Kaliff told the committee the agency faced “direct opposition from powerful industry forces” on issues such as food chemical safety, but also resisted “harsh criticism of those working in the food and beverage industry.”
“We have an industry that if you try to change it overnight, farmers across the United States are not going to be able to grow the crops they are currently growing. So there needs to be a plan and it needs to be implemented in a mature, thoughtful way across the country. ,” Kalief said.
