Trump Taps Michigan-Native Price To Lead Health And Human Services
NEW YORK (AP/WWJ) — President-elect Donald Trump made two Cabinet selections on Tuesday, choosing fierce Obamacare critic Georgia Rep. Tom Price to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, and Elaine Chao, who served in the Cabinet of George W. Bush, to serve as the secretary of the Department of Transportation.
Price has Michigan ties. He was born in Lansing, raised in Dearborn and studied medicine at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Trump announced his choice of Price, while the selection of Chao, the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, was confirmed by a person with knowledge of the decision but not authorized to speak publicly. Chao led the Department of Labor for several years under Bush.
Price is "exceptionally qualified" to lead an effort to repeal and replace President Barack Obama's health care law, Trump said in a statement.
The president-elect's transition team did not immediately respond to questions about the congressman's past commitment to transform Medicare into a voucher-like system, a position at odds with Trump's repeated campaign promises not to cut the popular health care program that serves an estimated 57 million people.
"Chairman Price, a renowned physician, has earned a reputation for being a tireless problem solver and the go-to expert on health care policy, making him the ideal choice to serve in this capacity," Trump added.
Price is the current chairman of the House Budget Committee and a staunch opponent of the Affordable Care Act pushed by President Barack Obama. Political analysts says Price would likely play a key role in Republican efforts to repeal and replace the law if he is confirmed by the Senate.
Trump won praise from Republicans Tuesday for his pick of Price to serve as health and human services secretary. A six-term congressman and orthopedic surgeon, Price has been a leading critic of Obama's health care law. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be a leading figure in Republican efforts to repeal the measure.
Incoming Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Price "has proven to be far out of the mainstream of what Americans want" for programs that help seniors, women, families and those with disabilities. His nomination, Schumer said, is "akin to asking the fox to guard the henhouse."
The president-elect appeared to still be torn over his choice for secretary of state. He summoned former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney to New York for dinner Tuesday night to discuss the post for a second time. He was also meeting with Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who is getting new attention from Trump's team. On Monday, Trump spent an hour with retired Gen. David Petraeus, another contender.
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