Alexander: Senate Democrats Finally Allow Confirmation of Important and Well-Qualified Nominee Overseeing Public Health, Nearly 9 Months After He Was Nominated

WASHINGTON, February 8, 2018—Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Dr. Brett Giroir to serve as Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services:

“It is bewildering that Americans were forced to wait nearly nine months for confirmation of this critical and qualified nominee as Senate Democrats filibuster nearly every one of the president’s nominees—and while Americans face a deadly flu outbreak and our communities struggle to cope with an opioid abuse crisis. I am glad the Senate has confirmed Dr. Giroir so he can begin work overseeing our many public health offices, including those that encourage vaccinations to protect Americans against outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases and helping respond to the opioid abuse crisis. Dr. Giroir is certainly well-qualified for this position—having served as the CEO at the Texas A&M Health Science Center, as Director of the Defense Science Office of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and as Chief Medical Officer at Children’s Health in Dallas.”

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