Hawley skeptical of Trump pick Oz: 'I hope he's changed his views'
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said he was "skeptical" of Dr. Mehmet Oz's views, particularly on transgender procedures for minors and abortion, and released a series of questions Wednesday that he plans to ask President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) during his road to confirmation.
"I've been reading up on Dr. Oz - I see he's praised trans surgeries for minors and supported hormone treatments & puberty blockers for kids in the past," Hawley wrote on X on Wednesday. "And has also criticized state laws protecting life. I hope he's changed his views to match President Trump! We need the Trump agenda at CMS."
In a series of written questions for Oz, Hawley asked the former heart surgeon and TV personality if his views have changed since hosting a television show.
Hawley noted that Oz had on his show "various transgender advocates as well as a surgeon who performed transgender surgery" and "also invited children to discuss switching genders and praised parents for helping their children 'transition'."
"Do you support President Trump's position that gender transition procedures for minors should be banned?" one question directed at Oz and shared by Hawley's press office asked.
The senator also asked if Trump's nominee supported the president's executive order barring biological men from competing in women's sports.
"Do you believe that CMS has a role in promoting or supporting gender transition surgery in any way?" Hawley asked.
The senator asked Oz if he would commit to never issuing a National Coverage Determination at CMS for "gender reassignment surgery" or equivalent procedures, including the use of hormone and puberty blockers, in line with Trump's policies. He also asked if Oz would support Trump's efforts to halt federal funding to hospitals that provide so-called "gender-affirming care" to minors.
Hawley noted Oz had stated in the past that he did not want to "interfere" with doctors prescribing puberty blockers for minor children and asked if that was still his position.
"Do you believe the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which every Justice appointed by President Trump supported, was correctly decided?" Hawley asked.
The senator questioned whether Oz's position has changed since he in 2019 opposed state limitations on abortion related to fetal heartbeat by describing it as "little electrical exchanges in the cell that no one would hear or think about as a heart."
In 2019, Oz predicted a state would face a "big sucking sound of business leaving" over its pro-life law, the senator noted, asking Trump's nominee to answer if he would allow his decisions as head of CMS to be "influenced by corporate preferences."
Oz testified last week that CMS would abide by the Hyde Amendment, which bars federal taxpayer dollars from funding abortions.
"As a physician, I've been in the room when there's some difficult conversations happening. I don't want the federal government involved with that at all," Oz stated in 2022, according to Hawley's office. The senator cited how Oz also said he did not want the federal government "impinging" on actions the states may make regarding abortion.
"But many federal laws and regulations implicate life issues," Hawley said. "President Trump's administration has opposed federal funding for abortion, for example, at home and abroad. Will you support the President's position and commit to upholding existing laws that prevent federal funds from being used for abortions?"
Hawley asked Oz if he would uphold protections for conscience rights related to abortion, including under the Weldon, Church and Coats-Snowe Amendments.
The senator noted that CMS under Trump approved waivers allowing states to exclude abortion-performing clinics from the Medicaid program and asked Oz if he would support the president's policy and back similar waivers if he is confirmed by the Senate. Hawley questioned whether Oz would "support action at the federal level to directly exclude abortion providers from the Medicaid program."
"The Biden administration issued guidance via CMS suggesting that the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) required hospitals to perform abortions, overriding state laws," Hawley noted. The senator asked Oz if he would return to the Trump policy and "clarify that EMTALA does not mandate abortions."
Finally, Hawley noted that CMS under Trump required separate billing plans that covered abortion in Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketing plans and the Biden administration eliminated that requirement. He asked if Oz would support returning Trump's policy of "transparent billing practices and ensure that consumers pay properly separate charges for abortion."
The 64-year-old was a respected heart surgeon who turned into a popular TV pitchman. He sold everything from supplements to private health insurance plans on "The Dr. Oz Show," which ran for 13 seasons and helped him amass a fortune.
If confirmed, Oz will oversee health insurance for about 150 million Americans enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid or ACA coverage. As CMS administrator, he could wield significant power over most health companies operating in the U.S., because he can make decisions about who and what is covered by Medicare and Medicaid.
Oz faced over two and a half hours of questioning Friday before the Republican-controlled Senate Finance Committee, which has yet to vote on whether to forward his nomination to the full Senate for consideration. Hawley is not a Finance Committee member and did not question Oz during the hearing last week.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
23 minutes ago
- Associated Press
What it would take to convert a jet from Qatar into Air Force One to safely fly Trump
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump really wants to fly on an upgraded Air Force One — but making that happen could depend on whether he's willing to cut corners with security. As government lawyers sort out the legal arrangement for accepting a luxury jet from the Qatari royal family, another crucial conversation is unfolding about modifying the plane so it's safe for the American president. Installing capabilities equivalent to the decades-old 747s now used as Air Force One would almost certainly consign the project to a similar fate as Boeing's replacement initiative, which has been plagued by delays and cost overruns. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told lawmakers Thursday that those security modifications would cost less than $400 million but provided no details. Satisfying Trump's desire to use the new plane before the end of his term could require leaving out some of those precautions, however. A White House official said Trump wants the Qatari jet ready as soon as possible while adhering to security standards. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not provide details on equipment issues or the timeline. Trump has survived two assassination attempts, and Iran allegedly also plotted to kill him, so he's well aware of the danger he faces. However, he seems willing to take some chances with security, particularly when it comes to communications. For example, he likes to keep his personal phone handy despite the threat of hacks. He boasted this week that the government got the jet 'for free,' saying, 'We need it as Air Force One until the other ones are done.' Here's a look at what it would take to make the Qatari plane into a presidential transport: What makes a plane worthy of being Air Force One? Air Force One is the call sign for any plane that's carrying the president. The first aircraft to get the designation was a propeller-powered C-54 Skymaster, which ferried Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Yalta Conference in 1945. It featured a conference room with a bulletproof window. Things are a lot more complicated these days. Boeing has spent years stripping down and rebuilding two 747s to replace the versions that have carried presidents for more than three decades. The project is slated to cost more than $5.3 billion and may not be finished before Trump leaves office. A 2021 report made public through the Freedom of Information Act outlines the unclassified requirements for the replacement 747s under construction. At the top of the list — survivability and communications. The government decided more than a decade ago that the new planes had to have four engines so they could remain airborne if one or two fail, said Deborah Lee James, who was Air Force secretary at the time. That creates a challenge because 747s are no longer manufactured, which could make spare parts harder to come by. Air Force One also has to have the highest level of classified communications, anti-jamming capabilities and external protections against foreign surveillance, so the president can securely command military forces and nuclear weapons during a national emergency. It's an extremely sensitive and complex system, including video, voice and data transmissions. James said there are anti-missile measures and shielding against radiation or an electromagnetic pulse that could be caused by a nuclear blast. 'The point is, it remains in flight no matter what,' she said. Will Trump want all the security bells and whistles? If the Qatari plane is retrofitted to presidential standards, it could cost $1.5 billion and take years, according to a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details that aren't publicly available. Testifying before Congress this week, Meink discounted such estimates, arguing that some of the costs associated with retrofitting the Qatari plane would have been spent anyway as the Air Force moves to build the long-delayed new presidential planes, including buying aircraft for training and to have spares available if needed. In response, Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., said that based on the contract costs for the planes that the Air Force is building, it would cost about $1 billion to strip down the Qatar plane, install encrypted communications, harden its defenses and make other required upgrades. James said simply redoing the wiring means 'you'd have to break that whole thing wide open and almost start from scratch.' Trump, as commander in chief, could waive some of these requirements. He could decide to skip shielding systems from an electromagnetic pulse, leaving his communications more vulnerable in case of a disaster but shaving time off the project. After all, Boeing has already scaled back its original plans for the new 747s. Their range was trimmed by 1,200 nautical miles, and the ability to refuel while airborne was scrapped. Paul Eckloff, a former leader of protection details at the Secret Service, expects the president would get the final say. 'The Secret Service's job is to plan for and mitigate risk,' he said. 'It can never eliminate it.' If Trump does waive some requirements, James said that should be kept under wraps because 'you don't want to advertise to your potential adversaries what the vulnerabilities of this new aircraft might be.' It's unlikely that Trump will want to skimp on the plane's appearance. He keeps a model of a new Air Force One in the Oval Office, complete with a darker color scheme that echoes his personal jet instead of the light blue design that's been used for decades. What happens next? Trump toured the Qatari plane in February when it was parked at an airport near Mar-a-Lago, his Florida resort. Air Force chief of staff Gen. David Allvin was there, too. The U.S. official said the jet needs maintenance but not more than what would be expected of a four-engine plane of its complexity. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said it would be irresponsible to put the president and national security equipment aboard the Qatari plane 'without knowing that the aircraft is fully capable of withstanding a nuclear attack.' 'It's a waste of taxpayer dollars,' she said. Meanwhile, Boeing's project has been hampered by stress corrosion cracks on the planes and excessive noise in the cabins from the decompression system, among other issues that have delayed delivery, according to a Government Accountability Office report released last year. Boeing referred questions to the Air Force, which said in a statement that it's working with the aircraft manufacturer to find ways to accelerate the delivery of at least one of the 747s. Even so, the aircraft will have to be tested and flown in real-world conditions to ensure no other issues. James said it remains to be seen how Trump would handle any of those challenges. 'The normal course of business would say there could be delays in certifications,' she said. 'But things seem to get waived these days when the president wants it.' ___ AP writer Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.
San Francisco Chronicle
26 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Trump repeats threats to California over transgender track state champion
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump targeted California's education funding again after a transgender student won two high school track and field events at the state meet Sunday. AB Hernandez, 16, became the center of political controversy overnight because she is transgender and running in girls track and field in California. Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from the state of California in a May 27 Truth Social post prior to the meet because of her presence and issued a similar threat for 'large scale fines' Tuesday after she was crowned a California state champion in girls triple jump and high jump. The California Interscholastic Federation adopted regulations in 2013 allowing students to engage in high school sports 'in a manner that is consistent with their gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on a student's records.' The same year, California lawmakers codified into state law that students could participate in school programs consistent with their gender identity. After Trump's May 27 threat, the CIF changed its rules to allow the athlete with the next-best qualifying mark in three events to participate and to issue a duplicate medal to the next-best finisher behind Hernandez in those events. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon threatened legal action Monday against California public schools if they continue allowing transgender athletes to compete in accordance with their gender identity. The attack on California's education funding over transgender girls' participation in girls' sports teams came as little surprise after the Justice Department filed suit against Maine in April for a similar policy. The White House argues policies like those in California and Maine are discriminatory, and therefore allow it to terminate federal K-12 funding to those states. Trump ordered investigations into all three, but has moved more swiftly in its dispute with Maine, whose governor publicly challenged Trump over the policy. Several education policy researchers and attorneys previously told the Chronicle that Maine is a test case, intended to see whether the Trump administration can subvert the normal process for cutting funds — as well as terminate all education funding to a state, rather than a more targeted cut. The Education Department is investigating California, Minnesota and Oregon's high school athletic associations, individual school districts in Oregon and Washington, the University of Pennsylvania and San Jose State University for allowing transgender athletes to compete on teams consistent with their gender identities. The Education Department confirmed Tuesday that it has opened an investigation into a Connecticut school system for allowing transgender athletes to compete on sports teams consistent with their gender identity. California received about $8 billion in federal funding for K-12 education in the 2024-25 school year, about 6% of its total budget, according to the state Department of Education. Of that, $2.5 billion was for low-income students under Title I, $1.5 billion for special education and students with disabilities, $157 million for English as a second language programs, and $5.7 million for nutritional services. To terminate funding, the Trump administration will need to argue that allowing athletics participation based on gender identity rather than sex assigned at birth violates Title IX. Several federal courts have found the opposite: that if a school tells a transgender athlete they can't participate in certain sports or use bathrooms in accordance with their gender identity, it is discriminating against that student on the basis of sex.
Miami Herald
33 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Walmart sends a hard-nosed message to employees
Walmart (WMT) , the largest retail chain in the U.S., has sent a harsh message to employees after a controversial U.S. Supreme Court ruling. For years, President Donald Trump has promoted his plan to secure the U.S. borders and conduct mass deportations of immigrants who are in the country illegally. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter "Illegal immigration costs our country billions and billions of dollars each year…And I will therefore take every lawful action at my disposal to address this crisis," said Trump during a briefing in the White House in 2018. Related: IRS sends stern warning to employees after layoffs Shortly after Trump was sworn in for a second term as president in January, he signed several executive orders focused on cracking down on illegal immigration. Some are targeted at increasing border security, reinstating "enhanced vetting" of visa applicants, and adding limits on birthright citizenship. Last week, the Trump administration gained major ground in its immigration agenda when the Supreme Court gave it the green light to cut a humanitarian program that granted temporary U.S. residency to over 500,000 immigrants from Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. The decision comes after the court ruled in another case that the administration could also remove temporary legal status from roughly 350,000 Venezuelan migrants. Shortly after the Supreme Court's latest ruling, Walmart reportedly informed its stores nationwide to identify workers who will lose their work authorization due to the ruling, according to a recent report from Bloomberg. Related: Walmart suffers another major boycott from customers The retailer also fired an unknown number of workers in Florida and Texas who will soon lose temporary legal residency in the U.S. Walmart even warned employees in at least two Florida stores that they will be let go if they don't get new work authorizations. Walmart's move follows in the footsteps of Disney, which reportedly warned its Venezuelan employees in Florida that their jobs are at risk after the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to cut protections for thousands of Venezuelans last month. On May 20, Disney placed those employees (45 cast members) on a 30-day unpaid leave and told them they would be fired if they did not obtain new work authorization by the end of the 30-day period. So far, since Trump took office on Jan. 20, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have arrested over 100,000 immigrants. ICE is reportedly arresting up to 2,000 immigrants a day. Last year, under the Biden administration, ICE was making 300 daily arrests. The dramatic increase in arrests comes after the Trump administration's "Border Czar" Tom Homan warned in an interview last year that the U.S. will soon see a "historic deportation operation." More Labor: Amazon CEO gives hard-nosed message to employeesIRS has an alarming solution to a growing problem after layoffsJPMorgan Chase CFO issues stern warning to employees These efforts have so far sparked controversy on social media and massive protests in a few cities across the nation. The Trump administration's deportation plan can also have a major domino effect in workplaces across the country, as immigrants make up a significant portion of the U.S. workforce. Out of the roughly 169 million workers in the U.S., over 32 million are immigrants, which is about 19% of the workforce. Many industries in the U.S. have also relied on the employment of undocumented immigrant workers. According to a report from the American Immigration Council last year, the U.S. is estimated to have over 7.5 million undocumented workers in various industries. Construction is the top industry with the most undocumented workers, who make up about 14% of its workforce. Following construction is the agriculture industry, where almost 13% of its workforce is made up of undocumented workers. The hospitality industry comes in as No. 3, as undocumented workers make up about 7% of its workforce. Related: Dollar General suffers major boycott from customers The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
