February 10, 2017

Manchin Votes Against HHS Secretary Nominee Tom Price

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today issued a statement on his vote against the Department of Health and Human Services nominee, Rep. Tom Price.

“As a former Governor, I understand how crucial it is for an executive leader to have his team in place, but as a Senator it is my job to evaluate a nominee’s qualifications and determine if their vision aligns with the principles I have set forth in my years of work on behalf of West Virginians. After meeting with Rep. Tom Price, reviewing his experience and watching his hearing, I could not vote for him to be our next Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

“As a Member of Congress, Rep. Price led the Republican effort to privatize Medicare and turn it into a voucher program which would increase costs for seniors and harm our economy. During his hearing, Rep. Price also refused to commit to ensuring that individuals, who have gained access to substance abuse treatment, would continue to have that access during his tenure. These services are not a luxury to the people I represent. If Rep. Price institutes his policies as Secretary of HHS, West Virginians will not be able to afford the critical services they need to survive. I will continue to fight to protect Medicare and ensure that individuals struggling with addiction have access to substance abuse treatment.”

###