LIVE: RFK Jr. Senate vote on nomination to serve as President Trump's Health Secretary

WATCH LIVE: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be considered to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

The final showdown over Kennedy's controversial nomination was set after Republicans in the Senate invoked cloture, which started the clock ticking toward the final confirmation roll call.

If confirmed, Kennedy would control $1.7 trillion in spending for vaccines, food safety and health insurance programs.

The 71-year-old has devoted his time to a nonprofit that sued vaccine makers. Republican President Donald Trump has backed Kennedy, saying he believes RFK Jr. is “uniquely positioned” to revive trust in those public health agencies.