White House Pushes Senate To Move Quickly On Casey Means Nomination

The White House is calling connected nan Senate to corroborate Dr. Casey Means as U.S. surgeon general "without further delay," moreover arsenic President Donald Trump signaled uncertainty astir her way forward.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One connected Sunday that he didn't cognize really Means was faring successful nan information process much than a period aft her Senate confirmation hearing. "We person a batch of awesome candidates," he added.

In a connection precocious Monday, White House property caput Karoline Leavitt defended Means' qualifications and said Trump continues to support her nomination.

“Dr. Casey Means has spent her full profession arsenic an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and interrogator bringing attraction to America’s chronic illness pandemic and really our healthcare strategy is failing nan American people,” Leavitt said. “The President stands by her and nan Senate should move to quickly [confirm] Dr. Means arsenic our adjacent surgeon wide without further delay.”

There is still nary clear timeline for a committee vote. Means must first beryllium approved by nan Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee earlier her information tin beforehand to a afloat Senate vote.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., nan committee's chairman, declined to opportunity erstwhile nan sheet mightiness act.

"No remark connected Casey," Cassidy told NBC News connected Thursday.

Hours later, nan Senate adjourned for a two-week Easter recess.

If confirmed, Means — who built her profession criticizing nan domiciled of unhealthy foods successful chronic diseases — would beryllium an state of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nan caput of nan "Make America Healthy Again" movement. Her brother, Calley Means, is besides a White House adviser. Means was a run advisor during Kennedy’s statesmanlike bid, and galore of her halfway messages are now cardinal planks of Kennedy’s agenda.

She has faced disapproval from lawmakers connected some sides of nan aisle for her arguable stances connected vaccines, commencement power and pesticides — subjects she has antecedently depicted arsenic vulnerable to quality health. She often sidestepped questions astir these issues astatine her Senate confirmation proceeding successful February.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, asked astir Means' past skepticism of hepatitis B shots for newborns, telling Means: “I request to effort to understand your reasoning connected that, fixed nan aesculapian statement that this vaccine prevents this superior liver illness and liver cancer.”

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, asked Means astir her past usage of psilocybin, a hallucinogen that is forbidden successful nan U.S., pinch exceptions for supervised curen successful Oregon and Colorado.

“It’s nan nexus to illicit narcotics that I’m having a difficult clip with,” Collins said.

Spokespeople for Murkowski and Collins did not respond to requests for comment.

Means would beryllium an different prime for surgeon general, lacking some an progressive aesculapian licence and a completed residency.

Former Surgeon General Jerome Adams, who served during Trump’s first administration, has based on that not having an progressive licence should disqualify Means from nan role, since surgeons wide oversee nan Public Health Service Commissioned Corps — a national branch that requires its ain officers to support progressive licenses successful their respective fields.

“My main interest astir Means isn’t astir her authorities aliases positions connected wellness matters (though an SG who hesitates connected recommending bales vaccines successful nan midst of a National outbreak seems a disastrously mediocre fresh for nan job),” Adams wrote past week connected X. “Her not having an progressive licence is simply a nonaccomplishment to meet a basal operational request for nan job.”