President Donald Trump on Monday said he would nominate Alex Azar as his next health secretary, The Hill reports. Azar seems unlikely to see his nomination blocked, given the GOP’s 52-seat margin and a simple majority needed to confirm.
The Hill adds that several Democrats didn’t outright oppose his nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, adding that they would rigorously question him over prescription drug prices and replacing ObamaCare.
According to Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, the confirmation process “will be a referendum on the Trump administration’s repeated efforts to sabotage our health care system and raise premiums on millions of Americans.”
“It’s time to turn over a new leaf at HHS. The next Health and Human Services Secretary must demonstrate a commitment to lowering Americans’ health care premiums, not sabotaging the Affordable Care Act and our health care system with reckless actions that hurt families. I look forward to reviewing the nomination of Mr. Azar.” Schumer said in a statement.
Azar previously worked at HHS, serving as general counsel from 2001 to 2005 and as deputy secretary for two years under former President George W. Bush. He’s bound to follow in the footsteps of Tom Price, who resigned after Politico detailed his repeated trips on private and government jets that cost taxpayers more than $1 million, The Hill notes.
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