Trump in 30 Seconds: science and medicine in flux
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Doctor-in-chief
On Thursday, President Trump nominated Dr. Jerome Adams to be the next surgeon general, replacing the ousted Dr. Vivek Murthy, who left in April. Adams is the health commissioner of Indiana and was appointed by Vice President Mike Pence. Adams is an anesthesiologist who oversaw the state’s public health response during an HIV outbreak linked to sharing needles, bringing both praise and criticism. Unlike his future boss, he has praised the expansion of Medicaid and took a measure tone in response to the Ebola crisis.
In the tweet of the moment
If Republican Senators are unable to pass what they are working on now, they should immediately REPEAL, and then REPLACE at a later date!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 30, 2017
President Trump had repeatedly said the two need to happen simultaneously, and many members of Congress agree. Some have argued anything else is a nonstarter because the replacement may never come.
Under pressure
Democrats on the House science committee are asking for an investigation after the head of an EPA board of science advisers said the organization’s chief of staff tried to pressure her into telling Congress that officials were still deliberating over how to fill open positions, when in fact they were not going to be filled. Deborah Swackhamer, chairwoman of the EPA Board of Scientific Counselors, told the congressional committee questioning her that half the board’s appointments would not be renewed in the mostly academic committee and voiced concern that would lead to inappropriate industry influence.
Number of the day: 10
That’s the length of the congressional recess upon us, after the Senate put off a vote on health care reform. We’ll see what happens when everyone reconvenes later in July.
Read on
- Ted Cruz: Keep existing protections this way: If an insurer offers Obamacare-compliant plans in a state, they get to offer non-compliant plans too
- A tax repeal built into GOP health care plans may be scrapped. This makes some moderate Republicans a little happier
- Martin Shkreli to run the Fed? It’s possible, even if he does go to jail. Also on this (tongue-in-cheek) list? Rumplestiltskin
- Sen. Lamar Alexander: Our investigation into drug prices is on hold
June 29, 2017
Let the dealmaking begin
As Senate Republicans try to revive their efforts to pass health care reform, they have agreed to add at least $45 billion to address the opioid crisis. That happens to be the amount sought by Sens. Rob Portman (Ohio) and Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), whose states have been hard-hit by the epidemic and who had expressed concern about an earlier draft of legislation that included only $2 billion.
Congress ignores Trump proposals
Under legislation unveiled by a House spending subcommittee, the National Science Foundation would receive $7.3 billion, a 1.8 percent decrease, from 2017 spending levels but a significantly smaller decrease than the 11 percent cut that Trump had proposed.
In defense of Medicaid reform
Seema Verma, the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under the Trump administration, argues in a new op-ed that lawmakers have a rare chance to transform Medicaid. Despite concerns that legislation in Congress would dramatically cut funding for the program, Verma says reform can only be achieved by giving states “more flexibility and less hassle from the federal government.”
Read on
- A doctor’s view of Obamacare and Trumpcare from rural Georgia
- How the push for a Senate health care vote fell apart amid GOP tensions
June 29, 2017
Science orgs speak out
A group of science organizations including the American Association for the Advancement of Science sent a letter to the White House Tuesday urging President Trump to keep intact and to heed the advice of scientific advisory boards. The letter comes on the heels of reports that the EPA is not renewing the contracts of dozens of scientists that serve as advisers to the agency.
Pesticide politics
EPA head Scott Pruitt just a
