Alex Azar was confirmed by the Senate earlier this afternoon as the next Secretary of Health and Human Services by a vote of 55 – 43.
News and updates
OMB Targets Feb 12
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced the intent to release the Administration’s FY 2019 President’s Budget Request to Congress on February 12. Incidentally, that date is the Monday following the date set for the the expiration of recent CR passed earlier this week.
The release was slightly delayed because of time lost during the recent three-day government shutdown. The budget is legally required the first Monday of February, but this and past Administrations have missed the deadline. This will be the second budget by the Trump Administration.
Senate to Take Up HHS Nomination
The full Senate is scheduled to take up today the nomination of Alex Azar to serve as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Azar is not a new-comer to the HHS as he served as Deputy Secretary during the George W. Bush Administration. He has recently been an executive at the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Co.
HHS funds and oversees a host of health-related and biomedical agencies and research programs. The National Institutes of Health is part of HHS.
Azar was nominated to replace former Secretary Tom Price, who resigned last year.
House Passes CR, Trump Signs It
The House has passed and President Trump has signed the CR passed earlier today by the Senate. The federal government is back open and expected to operate normally tomorrow.
Senate Clears 17-Day CR
After agreeing to bring up a short-term continuing resolution (CR) earlier in the day that would end the three-day government shutdown, the Senate officially approved it this afternoon. The 17-day measure would keep the government funded through Thursday, February 8. The House is expected to take up the CR later today.