Senate Panel Advances Nicole Saphier in 12-11 Vote for Surgeon General
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 30
Senate Panel Advances Nicole Saphier in 12-11 Vote for Surgeon General
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 30
Summary
A 12-11 party-line vote by the Senate health committee sent Nicole Saphier’s surgeon general nomination to the full Senate, moving Trump’s pick a step closer to becoming the nation’s top doctor.
Bill Cassidy, the panel’s Republican chairman, had pressed Saphier earlier this month on vaccine views; she said childhood vaccines do not cause autism and called the MMR shot “our greatest tool” against measles.
That testimony contrasted with Trump’s remark last month that the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine could be “quite lethal,” a claim he made without citing scientific evidence.
Saphier’s advance marks Trump’s third try to fill the post after Casey Means’ nomination stalled this year and Janette Nesheiwat’s was withdrawn last year.
The same committee vote also advanced Timothy Westlake for the mental health and addiction agency SAMHSA and Mary Lazare for assistant secretary for aging.
What would Nicole Saphier prioritize first as surgeon general: vaccine trust, chronic disease prevention, or restoring confidence in public health advice?