Republican Sens. Ron Johnson and John Barrasso are dismissing rumors that they are interested in becoming the next secretary of Health and Human Services.
The two senators’ names have been mentioned in several news reports as potential picks to replace Tom Price, who resigned Friday in response to a scandal over his rampant private jet use.
Barrasso told reporters Monday that the “honor of my life is serving as the senator from Wyoming. I feel privileged to do that and that is what I am going to continue.”
He added that he doesn’t have any interest in the HHS job, but he did give the White House some suggestions.
“They have a lot of good names out there,” Barrasso said, but declined to elaborate on the names he gave.
Johnson, who co-sponsored the latest Obamacare repeal bill that collapsed last week, also brushed off any speculation that he is up for the post on Monday.
“I’m in the confirmation business not the nomination business,” he told reporters. “I don’t even know where that one came from. I heard somebody mentioned my name. I have no idea why it was ever floated.”
Other names floated for the post include Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. Former Sen. Rick Santorum, who played a role in writing the Obamacare repeal bill sponsored by Johnson and three other senators, has also been floated.
