Senate Should Reject Price Nomination

Washington, D.C. – Following is the statement of Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, on today’s vote in the Senate Finance Committee to suspend the rules and send the nomination of Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) to become Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to the full Senate with no Democrats voting.

“We urge members of the Senate, for the good of their own constituents, to reject Rep. Price’s nomination and demand a nominee who better recognizes our nation’s healthcare needs.

“As a Congressman, Rep. Price has called for dismantling the pillars of our nation’s health care system. He has called for privatizing Medicare. He would eliminate the Medicaid expansion that offers health coverage to millions of working people in America. He has called for block-granting the traditional Medicaid program, which is just a backdoor way of gutting it. And he would eliminate the Affordable Care Act, with its subsidies and consumer protections that have helped millions of Americans gain and keep affordable health care coverage.

“On top of that, ethical questions remain about Rep. Price’s investments in health care companies that raise questions about potential conflicts of interest. This nomination is unworthy of confirmation.”