Sebelius Likely To Be Confirmed As HHS Secretary; Republicans Not Expected To Filibuster

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology;  Public Health
Article Date: 24 Apr 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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Republican Senators are unlikely to organize a filibuster against Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D), President Obama's HHS secretary nominee, bolstering the chances that she will be confirmed by a full Senate vote, CQ HealthBeat reports. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, on Wednesday said that although he plans to vote against Sebelius during the full Senate vote, he will not vote to sustain a filibuster. Grassley also suggested that Republican leaders might not attempt to organize one. "It's going to move ahead. And if she gets 51 votes, she is our nominee," Grassley said.

According to CQ HealthBeat, several antiabortion-rights groups have pressured legislators to oppose Sebelius because of her support for abortion rights. However, Grassley said Republicans should not expect that Obama's HHS secretary nominee would oppose abortion rights. "Out of this administration, we're not going to (get) a pro-life person in this position or probably in any position," Grassley said. However, he added that he opposes Sebelius' nomination because of her support for abortion rights and her connections to Kansas abortion provider George Tiller. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday said Democratic lawmakers had not yet decided when to bring Sebelius' nomination to the floor for the full Senate vote (CQ HealthBeat, 4/22). According to a Senate Republican aide, Reid likely will be compelled to file cloture on Sebelius' nomination because he will not receive unanimous consent to proceed directly to a vote (Edney, CongressDaily, 4/23).

According to Politico, 10 conservative advocates on Wednesday sent a letter to senators urging them to oppose Sebelius' nomination because of her "lack of integrity" and "extreme pro-abortion record." The letter includes signatures from James Dobson of Focus on the Family; Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council; Alfred Regnery, publisher of American Spectator; Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America; and Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform (Budoff Brown, Politico, 4/22). They wrote, "Americans want and deserve better than a health care system run by a politician with serious lapses of conscience and integrity. We call on all senators who claim to uphold the sanctity of life and the responsibility of the office of HHS to oppose her confirmation" (Brady, Roll Call, 4/22). According to Politico, the White House declined to comment on the letter.

In response to the letter and other recent criticism of Sebelius, NARAL Pro-Choice America has generated 20,000 messages to senators in support of her nomination as part of a campaign launched April 1. The messages also urge lawmakers to support Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel nominee Dawn Johnsen and Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals nominee David Hamilton, two additional Obama nominees who have received criticism from antiabortion advocates. According to NARAL's Web site, the campaign aims "to stop anti-choice attacks on these nominees simply because they've taken pro-choice positions." Nancy Keenan, the group's president, said, "I think [Sebelius] will be confirmed." She added, "The attacks by the right wing are, quite frankly, a dress rehearsal for the big dance, which is the Supreme Court vacancies. They are testing their tactics" (Politico, 4/22).

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