Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Democrats Boycott Price’s Hearing, Saying He Misled American People
The New York Times: Democrats Skip Votes, Delaying Confirmation Of Trump Nominees
Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee sought to stall the confirmations of Steven Mnuchin and Tom Price, President Trump’s picks for Treasury secretary and secretary of health and human services, by refusing to attend scheduled votes on Tuesday. (Rappeport and Lichtblau, 1/31)
USA Today: Senate Democrats Block Two Trump Cabinet Picks By Boycotting Vote
The Senate Finance Committee was scheduled to vote on both candidates Tuesday. But Democrats on that panel--in a boycott organized by Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Ron Wyden of Oregon--refused to attend the meeting, thus denying Republicans a quorum and preventing the votes from occurring. (Shesgreen, 1/31)
The New York Times: Senate Democrats Delay Confirmation Of Mnuchin And Price
Democrats ... said they had been misled by the nominees and wanted an opportunity to investigate unanswered questions about Mr. Price’s investments and Mr. Mnuchin’s role in a bank that has been criticized for aggressive foreclosure practices. (Pear and Lichtblau, 1/31)
The Wall Street Journal: Democrats Delay Votes For Donald Trump’s Cabinet Picks
The panel’s top Democrat, Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, said he was acting because of a Wall Street Journal article that contradicted testimony Mr. Price gave last week. The article, published Monday, said Mr. Price had participated in a private stock offering open to fewer than 20 individuals after hearing about the offering from Rep. Chris Collins, who sits on the board of the company. In a hearing last week and on several other occasions, Mr. Price said the stock offering was open to all investors in the company, Innate Immunotherapeutics, which is developing a drug for multiple sclerosis. (Timiraos, Hughes and Grimaldi, 1/31)
The Washington Post: Democrats Block Confirmation Votes For Sessions, Price And Mnuchin
Democrats alone lack the votes needed to block any of Trump’s nominees from taking office — and there are no signs of Republican opposition to any of his picks. In fact, Republicans lashed out at Democrats for what they described as partisan, obstructionist moves. “It is time to get over the fact that they lost the election,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said. “The president is entitled to have his Cabinet appointments considered. None of this is going to lead to a different outcome.” That did nothing to tamp down enthusiasm among liberal activists and some Democratic lawmakers to mount a fierce resistance to Trump’s priorities. (O'Keefe, Sullivan and Snell, 1/31)
The Associated Press: Democrats Force Delays In Votes On 3 Cabinet Nominees
The tactic infuriated Republicans, even though the GOP boycotted a committee vote on Gina McCarthy to head the Environmental Protection Agency in 2013 when Democrats ran the Senate. "They ought to stop posturing and acting like idiots," said committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. "Are they that bitter about Donald Trump? The answer has to be yes." (Fram, 1/31)
CQ Roll Call: Hatch Remains Intent On Moving HHS Nomination To Full Senate
Senate Finance committee rules require the presence of at least one member of the minority party in order to get a quorum to conduct business. When questioned later in the day by reporters about changing the committee rules to speed the process, Hatch allowed that this was possible. "We may have to,” said the Utah Republican. (Young, 1/31)
Politico: Senate Finance Democrats Boycott Mnuchin, Price Votes
Hatch said he planned to hold another vote on the nominees Wednesday. When asked whether he expected any Democrats to show up, he said, "I don't care if they do." (Warmbrodt, 1/31)
The Hill: White House Blasts 'Outrageous' Dem Boycott
Press secretary Sean Spicer called the move an “outrageous” example of partisan obstruction. “The idea that these highly qualified nominees ... are being stalled because Democrats are boycotting the committee vote is outrageous,” he told reporters. “The mere idea that they are not even showing up for these meetings is outrageous.” (Fabian, 1/31)
Kaiser Health News: Democrats Say Cabinet Choice Tom Price ‘Misled’ The Public. Here’s What We Know.
A key committee vote on Health and Human Services cabinet nominee, Rep. Tom Price, stalled Tuesday amid charges from Senate Democrats that he has misled the public about issues in his financial background. Democrats are demanding fuller explanations, and Republicans are vowing to break the committee impasse.Here are some of the issues still swirling around Price. (Jewett, 2/1)
Meanwhile, ProPublica offers a look at Price's history with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force —
ProPublica: HHS Nominee Tom Price Targeted Panel That Urged Fewer Cancer Screenings
The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force, a group of mostly physician and academics from top universities, reviews medical practices to see whether they are supported by research and evidence. Under the Affordable Care Act, the group’s recommendations have been used to guide private insurers. If the group gives a test high marks, insurers are required to cover it. If it doesn’t, they are free not to. But letters reviewed by ProPublica show that Price twice pushed HHS to quash the task force’s recommendations to limit widely used cancer screenings. The panel said that the screenings too often led to unnecessary biopsies and other harmful treatment. (Allen, 2/1)
