Latest news with #SenateHELPCommittee
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump's surgeon general pick touted as 'fierce' MAHA advocate before confirmation hearing
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's pick for U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill, garnering support ahead of her upcoming confirmation hearing, with senators describing her as a "fierce" advocate for the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement. Sources familiar with her confirmation hearing prep told Fox News Digital that Nesheiwat has had many "productive meetings" on Capitol Hill regarding her nomination. Trump Picks Dr. Janette Nesheiwat As Nation's Next Surgeon General Nesheiwat recently met with the staff for the Senate HELP Committee, along with all the health policy GOP staffers. Sources said those staffers have expressed support for her nomination as medical director in the Public Health Service and surgeon general. Nesheiwat also met with Democrat Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, along with Democrat Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado and Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. Sources told Fox News Digital that Blackburn is supportive of Nesheiwat. Details of Nesheiwat's meetings with Hickenlooper and Alsobrooks were not immediately clear. The sources said various topics were discussed during those meetings, including fighting chronic illness, diseases, opioids, the mission of MAHA, vaccines, good nutrition, educating Americans with science-backed data, combating healthcare provider shortages, mental health, food deserts and the government's role in tracking health crises and emerging health threats. Read On The Fox News App Sources said the conversations have been "positive, productive conversations." Nesheiwat has met, so far, with all the Republican senators on the Senate HELP Committee except for Sen. Josh Hawley. A source told Fox News Digital that Sen. Katie Brit of Alabama, who is not on the committee, wants to meet with Nesheiwat in early May. Nesheiwat, formerly a Fox News contributor, is double-board certified in family medicine and urgent care medicine. Nesheiwat, a daughter of Jordanian immigrants, led frontline medical teams during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, along with her past work managing public health responses during flu epidemics, the opioid crisis, the monkeypox outbreak and other major health challenges. She also was named the first female medical director for CityMD in Manhattan — one of America's largest urgent care systems. Short Questions With Dana Perino For Dr. Janette Nesheiwat Upon nominating Nesheiwat to the position, Trump said she is a "fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventative medicine and public health." "I am proud to announce that Dr. Janette Nesheiwat will be the Nation's Doctor as the United States Surgeon General. Dr. Nesheiwat is a double board-certified Medical Doctor with an unwavering commitment to saving and treating thousands of American lives," he said. "She is committed to ensuring that Americans have access to affordable, quality healthcare, and believes in empowering individuals to take charge of their health to live longer, healthier lives." Trump praised Nesheiwat's work during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying she "worked on the front lines in New York City treating thousands of Americans and helped patients in the aftermath of President Donald Trump's Historic Operation Warp Speed that saved hundreds of millions of lives." He also praised her "expertise and leadership" after New Orleans' Hurricane Katrina and the Joplin tornadoes. The president said Nesheiwat "will play a pivotal role in MAKING AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN!" Meanwhile, after meeting with Nesheiwat, Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy said Nesheiwat is "aware of the issues facing our nation and how they relate all the way down to counseling a patient in an exam room." "A very good meeting," he said. As for the MAHA movement led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Republicans say Nesheiwat represents the vision of the Trump administration. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., said Nesheiwat "understands the MAHA movement." "With the Trump admin, American health is no longer taking a back seat," Banks said. Additionally, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said that "Making America Healthy Again starts with having strong leadership" within Health and Human Services. "I know that @DoctorJanette, President Trump's nominee for Surgeon General, will be a fierce MAHA advocate and will work with @SecKennedy to increase transparency in our healthcare system," Tuberville said. Nesheiwat began her medical education at the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. She completed her initial curriculum at the school's Saint Maarten campus. She then went on to complete her clinical rotations at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Metropolitan State Hospital, Guy's & St. Thomas Hospitals and Medway Maritime Hospital. Nesheiwat completed her family medicine residence at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Area Health Education Center, and was elected chief resident during her final year. In 2009, Nesheiwat achieved board certification in family medicine for the American Board of Family Medicine, and in 2020 achieved board certification in urgent care medicine with the American Board of Urgent Care Medicine. Nesheiwat's hearing is set for May 8 at 10:00 a.m., when senators on the Senate HELP Committee, will question her ahead of her confirmation article source: Trump's surgeon general pick touted as 'fierce' MAHA advocate before confirmation hearing
Fox News
02-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Trump's surgeon general pick touted as 'fierce' MAHA advocate before confirmation hearing
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's pick for U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill, garnering support ahead of her upcoming confirmation hearing, with senators describing her as a "fierce" advocate for the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement. Sources familiar with her confirmation hearing prep told Fox News Digital that Nesheiwat has had many "productive meetings" on Capitol Hill regarding her nomination. Nesheiwat recently met with the staff for the Senate HELP Committee, along with all the health policy GOP staffers. Sources said those staffers have expressed support for her nomination as medical director in the Public Health Service and surgeon general. Nesheiwat also met with Democrat Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, along with Democrat Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado and Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. Sources told Fox News Digital that Blackburn is supportive of Nesheiwat. Details of Nesheiwat's meetings with Hickenlooper and Alsobrooks were not immediately clear. The sources said various topics were discussed during those meetings, including fighting chronic illness, diseases, opioids, the mission of MAHA, vaccines, good nutrition, educating Americans with science-backed data, combating healthcare provider shortages, mental health, food deserts and the government's role in tracking health crises and emerging health threats. Sources said the conversations have been "positive, productive conversations." Nesheiwat has met, so far, with all the Republican senators on the Senate HELP Committee except for Sen. Josh Hawley. A source told Fox News Digital that Sen. Katie Brit of Alabama, who is not on the committee, wants to meet with Nesheiwat in early May. Nesheiwat, formerly a Fox News contributor, is double-board certified in family medicine and urgent care medicine. Nesheiwat, a daughter of Jordanian immigrants, led frontline medical teams during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, along with her past work managing public health responses during flu epidemics, the opioid crisis, the monkeypox outbreak and other major health challenges. She also was named the first female medical director for CityMD in Manhattan — one of America's largest urgent care systems. Upon nominating Nesheiwat to the position, Trump said she is a "fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventative medicine and public health." "I am proud to announce that Dr. Janette Nesheiwat will be the Nation's Doctor as the United States Surgeon General. Dr. Nesheiwat is a double board-certified Medical Doctor with an unwavering commitment to saving and treating thousands of American lives," he said. "She is committed to ensuring that Americans have access to affordable, quality healthcare, and believes in empowering individuals to take charge of their health to live longer, healthier lives." Trump praised Nesheiwat's work during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying she "worked on the front lines in New York City treating thousands of Americans and helped patients in the aftermath of President Donald Trump's Historic Operation Warp Speed that saved hundreds of millions of lives." He also praised her "expertise and leadership" after New Orleans' Hurricane Katrina and the Joplin tornadoes. The president said Nesheiwat "will play a pivotal role in MAKING AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN!" Meanwhile, after meeting with Nesheiwat, Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy said Nesheiwat is "aware of the issues facing our nation and how they relate all the way down to counseling a patient in an exam room." "A very good meeting," he said. As for the MAHA movement led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Republicans say Nesheiwat represents the vision of the Trump administration. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., said Nesheiwat "understands the MAHA movement." "With the Trump admin, American health is no longer taking a back seat," Banks said. Additionally, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., said that "Making America Healthy Again starts with having strong leadership" within Health and Human Services. "I know that @DoctorJanette, President Trump's nominee for Surgeon General, will be a fierce MAHA advocate and will work with @SecKennedy to increase transparency in our healthcare system," Tuberville said. Nesheiwat began her medical education at the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. She completed her initial curriculum at the school's Saint Maarten campus. She then went on to complete her clinical rotations at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Metropolitan State Hospital, Guy's & St. Thomas Hospitals and Medway Maritime Hospital. Nesheiwat completed her family medicine residence at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Area Health Education Center, and was elected chief resident during her final year. In 2009, Nesheiwat achieved board certification in family medicine for the American Board of Family Medicine, and in 2020 achieved board certification in urgent care medicine with the American Board of Urgent Care Medicine. Nesheiwat's hearing is set for May 8 at 10:00 a.m., when senators on the Senate HELP Committee, will question her ahead of her confirmation vote.
Politico
17-03-2025
- Business
- Politico
Sanders puts Musk in focus amid DOGE cuts
QUICK FIX WHO'S REALLY RUNNING DOL?: Since losing his post atop the Senate HELP Committee, Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) — the panel's current ranking member — has unsurprisingly been frosty toward President Donald Trump's nominees to lead the Labor Department. However, amid the so-called Department of Government Efficiency's effort to purge federal employees, Sanders has taken a more uninterested tone in the nominees themselves by dismissing the president's picks and asserting that Elon Musk will ultimately be the one to shape their agencies. 'The next secretary of Labor, the next secretary of Education, the next secretary of [Housing and Urban Development], next secretary of the Treasury is Elon Musk and let us understand that reality and play go along with the charades,' Sanders said before lawmakers voted to confirm Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. Sanders also left Deputy Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling's nomination hearing early and has made sure to highlight Musk at nearly every hearing he's attended. When asked about how he's approached the nominee process for Trump's picks, he told Shift last week that he only left one hearing early, but his move to shift the focus to Musk is one of the many strategies Democrats are attempting in standing up to Trump's effort to remake the federal government. As Democrats have resorted to pointing fingers and searching for a coherent message since Trump's victory last fall, Sanders has hit the road to hold rallies with strong attendance where he's focused on pocketbook issues while calling attention to the risks of taking a chainsaw to federal agencies. With several additional labor and employment nominees set to appear for the committee in the coming months, Sanders is likely to continue highlighting Musk's role in the federal government, especially as new polling shows that his work leading DOGE is deeply unpopular with the American public. GOOD MORNING. It's Monday, March 17. Welcome back to Morning Shift, your go-to tipsheet on labor and employment-related immigration. Send feedback, tips and exclusives to nniedzwiadek@ lukenye@ rdugyala@ and gmott@ Follow us on X at @NickNiedz and @Lawrence_Ukenye. Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. AROUND THE AGENCIES NOT SO EAGER: Federal employees reinstated by a pair of district court rulings last week aren't rushing to reclaim their jobs and are already filling out applications for other roles after losing faith in their previous employers. 'The government hates us,' Oleka Chmura, 28, an employee who previously worked at Yellowstone National Park, told The Washington Post. 'I was originally putting up with it because I believed in the park's mission, but I can't go back to the anxiety of, 'Am I fired or am I not?'' Some employees were excited to return to work but discovered that their agencies weren't part of lawsuits in California and Maryland that led federal judges to order the Trump administration to call fired feds back to work. More agency news: 'UFL players file complaint with NLRB over CBA talks,' from ESPN. Even more: "Federal Budget Ax Threatens Contractors, but Could Also Be an Opportunity,' from The New York Times. On The Hill FUNDING FALLOUT: Democrats continued their recriminations into the weekend after Senate leaders chose to support a stopgap funding bill that the party seemingly broadly opposed, with many directing their ire at Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Some lawmakers did come to his defense, including Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who notably voted against the bill. 'Leader Schumer has a very difficult job. I don't envy the job that he has,' Murphy said Sunday on NBC's 'Meet the Press,' adding: 'I still support Senator Schumer as leader.' Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), who appeared on ABC's 'This Week,' threw cold water on the anger directed against his colleagues who backed the continuing resolution, arguing that entering a government shutdown would've empowered the Office of Personnel Management to pursue deeper cuts to the federal workforce. Schumer backlash continues: ''Uniting anger': Democrats fume over Schumer's handling of funding fight,' from our Holly Otterbein, Lisa Kashinsky, Jordain Carney, Elena Schneider and Brakkton Booker. Unions NOT ON THEIR WATCH: Nurses unions are pushing back against hospitals for adding AI tools that monitor patients' vital signs and develop action plans for care as they grapple with staff shortages, The Associated Press reports. 'Hospitals have been waiting for the moment when they have something that appears to have enough legitimacy to replace nurses,' said Michelle Mahon of National Nurses United. 'The entire ecosystem is designed to automate, de-skill and ultimately replace caregivers.' The union has organized more than a dozen protests urging hospitals to let their staff dictate how the technology is used, and guardrails against discipline for personnel who choose not to follow medical advice from AI. In the Workplace DISTRICT DOWNTURN: The D.C. economy could enter a recession as early as this year due to the widespread job losses from the Trump administration's effort to trim the federal workforce, CNN reports. Oxford Economics estimates the region could lose nearly $5 billion in wages from cuts to federal jobs, which will likely ripple through the region's consumer-facing businesses, including hospitality and retail. Not just D.C.: 'DOGE Upheaval Arrives in Cities Far From Washington,' from The Wall Street Journal. TESLA TUMBLES: AkademikerPension, a Danish pension fund, is dropping its Tesla shares over the company's worker rights record and Elon Musk's support for far-right political candidates, Bloomberg reports. The move comes after the company's stocks tumbled in recent weeks, prompting Trump to hold an event at the White House featuring the EVs to show support for Musk. The company's stocks briefly began to rebound last week. Conservatives began to rally around the car brand last week, while the left escalated their attacks against Musk, including Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), who announced last week that he was getting rid of his Tesla and called the vehicle 'a rolling billboard' for Musk. More workplace news: 'Davos organiser promises revamp after probe into workplace discrimination,' from the Financial Times. WHAT WE'RE READING — 'How Trump's 'No Tax on Tips' Could Backfire for the Working Class,' from Bloomberg. — 'To Investigate Labor Abuse, We Began With a Question: Who Profits?,' from The New York Times. — 'CEOs Face More Accountability When a Board Member Has Military Experience,' from The Wall Street Journal. — 'Other states are preparing for the House NIL settlement. But can Florida schools compete?,' from our Andrew Atterbury. THAT'S YOUR SHIFT!
Politico
05-03-2025
- Health
- Politico
NIH pick makes his case
Presented by Driving The Day DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK — During his confirmation hearing before the Senate HELP Committee this morning, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya will try to convince senators to confirm him to lead the government's preeminent health research agency, the National Institutes of Health, POLITICO's Erin Schumaker reports. And if Bhattacharya so chooses, it's a chance to settle old Covid scores. The Stanford health economist arguably wouldn't be considered for the job if he hadn't co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration in 2020. Thousands of public health experts signed the open letter, which argued against lockdown measures in favor of letting low-risk individuals build up herd immunity while older, sick people self-isolated. Federal scientists and many others criticized the letter as dangerous and unethical. Bhattacharya's prepared remarks for today endorse HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy's desire to shift focus toward the causes and treatment of chronic diseases, convey skepticism of existing science and express disgust with NIH leadership during the pandemic. Bhattacharya accuses his predecessors of fostering 'a culture of coverup, obfuscation, and a lack of tolerance for ideas that differed from theirs.' 'Dissent is the very essence of science,' Bhattacharya is expected to say at the hearing. He did not respond to a request for comment. State of play: If confirmed, Bhattacharya will oversee the world's largest health research budget, $48 billion, which universities and researchers worldwide depend on. But he'll also arrive as the Trump administration moves to slash NIH funding to grantees by $4 billion, cut staff, and defund work on racial inequities and transgender care. What we're watching: Republicans, like Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, will give Bhattacharya a chance to articulate his plans for the agency. Cassidy's own plan to overhaul the agency involves subjecting NIH decisions to more outside scrutiny and streamlining the peer-review process. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), also on the HELP Committee, has his own agenda to press, including a bill to divide the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci's old agency, into three institutes led by Senate-confirmed directors limited to two five-year terms. Paul's Risky Research Review Act, which the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved last year on a bipartisan vote, is likely to come up. It takes aim at so-called gain-of-function research, in which scientists make pathogens more dangerous to better study them, taking authority over such research away from NIH. Bhattacharya, in his prepared remarks, said it should be vigorously regulated. What's next: The hearing is expected to propel Bhattacharya to confirmation as NIH director. Democrats, facing a 47-53 deficit in the Senate, don't have the power to block Bhattacharya's nomination. They'll have to hope his long history in academia means he'll resist Elon Musk's efforts to root out government waste, which has led to the termination of about 1,200 NIH employees. 'The world's premier biomedical research agency needs a leader who believes in its mission,' Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) told POLITICO in a statement. WELCOME TO WEDNESDAY PULSE. Some members of our team got a chance to see the Stanley Cup in the office of House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) yesterday. Emmer is a notable hockey fan. Send your tips, scoops and feedback to ccirruzzo@ and khooper@ and follow along @ChelseaCirruzzo and @Kelhoops. At the White House MAHA SHOUTOUT — In his first address of his second term to Congress, President Donald Trump shouted out HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 'Make America Healthy Again' mission. 'Since 1975, rates of child cancer have increased by more than 40 percent. Reversing this trend is one of our top priorities for our new Make America Healthy Again Commission,' which was created by an executive order and chaired by Kennedy, Trump said. 'Our goal is to get toxins out of our environment, poisons out of the food supply and keep our children healthy and strong,' he added. He also pointed to a CDC statistic that 1 in 36 children have been diagnosed with autism. During his confirmation hearings, Kennedy refused to back down from false claims linking vaccines to autism and said he would reverse his view if 'shown the data.' 'There's something wrong,' Trump said. 'We're going to find out what it is, and there's nobody better than Bobby … to figure out what is going on.' Trump otherwise made little mention of health care. Abortion EMTALA CASE DROPPED — Ahead of a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, the Trump administration said yesterday it would drop a lawsuit against Idaho over the right to emergency abortion care, POLITICO's Alice Miranda Ollstein reports. Background: The high-profile case was brought on initially by the Biden administration, which argued that Idaho's enforcement of its near-total abortion ban during medical emergencies violated Ronald Reagan-era patient protections under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, better known as EMTALA. The Supreme Court weighed and punted the case to lower court judges last year, saying it took up the issue prematurely. What happened: The Boise hospital network St. Luke's said in a court filing Tuesday that the Justice Department informed the network that it is moving to dismiss the case. In that same brief, St. Luke's, which sued the state in January because it expected the Trump administration to bow out, pleaded for a temporary restraining order ahead of a scheduled hearing today to ensure that emergency abortions don't become illegal again while the court deliberates. On Tuesday night, an Idaho district court judge granted the temporary restraining order barring the state attorney general from prosecuting medical providers who assist with abortions in medical emergencies. The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment. The Idaho attorney general's office did not respond to questions about its plans for the case. The Trump administration hasn't yet indicated whether it plans to rescind the Biden administration's 2022 guidance that hospitals must render stabilizing care in an emergency, including abortions when necessary, regardless of state bans. AROUND THE AGENCIES BYE, BYE BRUTALIST BUILDING? HHS' iconic brutalist headquarters building in downtown Washington was briefly targeted for sale as part of a government downsizing effort, I report with POLITICO's Sophia Cai. The FDA's sprawling White Oak Campus in Silver Spring, Maryland, and CMS' headquarters near Baltimore were also on the potential chopping block. The headquarters for the three agencies appeared on a list of 'nonessential' buildings that could be sold by the General Services Administration, which manages federal buildings. As of Tuesday night, both HHS and FDA buildings had been removed, but CMS remains. 'For decades, chronic underfunding has left many of these buildings functionally obsolete and unsuitable for the modern federal workforce,' the GSA said in a statement. 'We can no longer assume that funding will materialize to fix these longstanding issues.' The GSA compiled a list of nonessential buildings at the behest of Elon Musk and his government-efficiency push. Sales of the buildings, which also included the JFK federal building in Boston, are not yet definite. The GSA said in a statement that it 'welcomes creative solutions, including sale-lease backs, ground leases and other forms of public/private partnerships to drive the full optimization of our space.' HHS did not respond to requests for comment. CDC REHIRES STAFF — Some terminated CDC fellows who worked on lab safety and public health threats are being reinstated, POLITICO's Sophie Gardner reports. Fellows at the Laboratory Leadership Service and the Public Health Associate Program were informed that they could return to their jobs, according to two reinstated fellows who spoke to POLITICO on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. Fellows received an email, which was obtained by POLITICO, with the subject line 'read this email immediately' Tuesday. The email rescinded their termination 'after further review and consideration.' The staff had been placed on administrative leave in mid-February and had expected to be terminated on March 14. 'You are cleared to return to work on Wednesday, March 5, 2025,' the email reads. 'We apologize for any disruption that this may have caused.' Roughly 700 CDC employees were cut last month on the recommendation of Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency. It's unclear how many employees were reinstated, and the CDC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. WHAT WE'RE READING POLITICO's Robert King reports that CMS has pulled health equity guidance for states. Chelsea reports on HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy touting vitamin A as a measles treatment. Kelly reports that United Healthcare has pledged a 10 percent cut on prior authorizations. POLITICO's Arek Sarkissian reports that the Florida governor said he expects federal regulators to ban fluoride in drinking water.
Politico
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Senate committee advances Chavez-DeRemer's nomination
Former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer is one step closer to becoming Labor secretary after the Senate HELP Committee advanced her to a full floor vote. She needed at least one Democrat to rescue her nomination. The panel voted 13-9 on Thursday to advance Chavez-DeRemer after Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) joined Republicans in supporting President Donald Trump's pick to lead DOL. The trio's support offset a 'no' vote from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who ultimately voted against Chavez-DeRemer because of her previous co-sponsorship of the PRO Act. Kaine said he would support Chavez-DeRemer because she is likely better than any alternative Trump would nominate in her place — pointing to his first term Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, who resigned in 2019 amid renewed scrutiny of his handling of a sex crimes case involving Jeffrey Epstein when he was a federal prosecutor. 'I have some concerns … but it just gets worse from here,' he said. The nomination will now head to the Senate floor, where Chavez-DeRemer is almost certain to be confirmed despite the prospect of additional "no" votes from Republicans concerned about her labor background.
