The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing Nov. 29 on the confirmation of Alex Azar, President Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services secretary.
The announcement came Thursday from Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the HELP Committee. Alexander met with Azar, a former deputy secretary for Health and Human Services and executive at pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, on Thursday.
“I was glad to host Alex Azar in my office this morning and was impressed with his knowledge and experience,” Alexander said. “As a former deputy secretary of Health and Human Services and private-sector executive, Alex Azar has the qualifications to get results.”
Azar’s nomination must move through the HELP Committee and also through the Senate Finance Committee before his nomination is brought to the Senate floor for a vote.
Azar met with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Wednesday. McConnell on Twitter called the meeting “productive” and said he had asked Azar to make combatting the opioid epidemic a top priority.
Alex Azar & I had a productive meeting and discussed his outlook and vision for @HHSGov. I also asked him to make combating the #OpioidEpidemic, a crisis that has devastated families across #Kentucky and the nation, a top priority. pic.twitter.com/U9OoERhW1w
— Leader McConnell (@SenateMajLdr) November 15, 2017
