Center for Reproductive Rights Statement on the Senate Finance Committee’s Vote to Move Forward with Azar Nomination to HHS Secretary

(PRESS RELEASE) Today the Senate Finance Committee voted to move forward on the nomination of Alex Azar, President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Azar, who was nominated to fill the post vacated by Tom Price following allegations of misuse of taxpayer dollars, will now head to the full Senate for consideration.

Said Nancy Northup, President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights:

“The nation’s top officer for overseeing the health and well-being of the country must display a commitment to promoting and protecting non-discriminatory healthcare policies for everyone, including women.

“President Trump’s Administration has worked to compromise and erode women’s access to reproductive health care since day one, and after hours of committee hearings, we have yet to hear from Mr. Azar how he would act any differently.

“A clear, articulated commitment for upholding policies and programs that support women’s health, including reproductive healthcare, must be a minimum requirement for the job. It is troubling that Mr. Azar was more than just silent, he spent his confirmation hearings closely aligning himself with the President’s anti-woman agenda and defending and deferring to companies who plan to discontinue coverage of birth control for their employees. 

“As the Senate moves to a final vote on Mr. Azar’s nomination, we are very concerned that Mr. Azar failed to ensure he is up to the job of defending and advancing the health of all Americans.”