Sebelius nomination clears Finance
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' nomination to become the next Secretary of Health and Human Services is scheduled to be voted on by the full Senate April 28 after clearing the Senate Finance Committee in a 15-4 vote April 21. Prior to the committee vote, Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said he cannot support the nomination due to "contradictory statements" Sebelius has made on comparative effectiveness research. Sebelius' statements about comparative effectiveness "left me with no assurance that HHS federal health care programs or any new entity such as the Coordinating Council will not use comparative effectiveness research as a tool to deny care," Kyl said ("1The Gray Sheet" April 6, 2009, p. 3). He and three other committee Republicans opposed the nomination while approving Democrat members were joined by Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe of Maine and Pat Roberts of Kansas