Tom Price confirmed for HHS as Obamacare battle heats up, critics still object
The Senate voted 52-47 early this morning to confirm pro-life Rep. Tom Price, R-GA, as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The vote was along party lines with Luther Strange casting his first vote as a the new Alabama Senator, replacing Jeff Sessions and Missouri’s Claire McCaskill not voting.
Price is pro-life, pro-marriage, and anti-Obamacare. He has said “there is nothing more fundamental to our humanity than to defend life.” He defended and supported the pro-life position throughout his time in Congress. Price is also an orthopedic surgeon.
“President Trump is compiling perhaps the most anti-abortion Cabinet in history, which will no doubt be keeping Planned Parenthood up at night as they devise ways to secure their half a billion dollars in taxpayer funds a year and dodge multiple referrals for criminal actions for illegally trafficking baby body parts,” said Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life of America. “We are looking forward to rolling back the past eight years of radical pro-abortion policies and are excited to work with Secretary Price.”
“The March for Life congratulates Rep. Tom Price on his confirmation as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services,” said March for Life President and former HHS staffer Jeanne Mancini. “During the Obama administration, this cabinet position was used to widely expand abortion access, fund abortion providers, and limit conscience protections. Secretary Price has the medical and policy knowledge and experience to bring authentically good programs, those that respect the inherent dignity of every human being and respect conscience protections, to HHS. We look forward to working with Secretary Price in advancing conscience protections and life-affirming health care solutions.”
“In another cynical, [largely] partisan vote, the U.S. Senate [last night] confirmed Rep. Tom Price to serve as the nation’s next U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) – putting our country’s health care system at risk,” says Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, CEO and executive director of MomsRising. “This confirmation will exacerbate the deep anxiety that moms and caregivers around the country have about whether their families will be able to get the health coverage and care they need.
“It is abundantly clear that Price is the wrong choice for this post. He supports the callous, irresponsible repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which imperils the health insurance that 30 million people, including four million children, rely on. Repealing the ACA also will force people with pre-existing conditions into an expensive and unnecessary fight for their lives, which will hurt families, our economy and our country.
“Price supports replacing the ACA with measures that would gut access to health insurance and make it harder for people to get the essential health services they need. His record also includes shameful votes to cut funding for Medicaid, which covers vital health services for millions of low-income children, pregnant women, people with disabilities and chronic illnesses, and the elderly, including seven in ten residents of nursing homes. While during his confirmation hearings, Price offered few details about his plans, those he did offer, like block-granting Medicaid, would lead to fewer low-income people and people with serious health problems being able to access the care they need.”
[…] and the polling was accurate as Moore defeated Luther Strange, the establishment Senator who filled the vacant seat after Jeff Sessions moved to the role of Attorney General.“Together, we can make America great,” Moore said Tuesday […]