WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor on the need to confirm President Trump’s Cabinet, including Rep. Tom Price, MD, the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary nominee, and Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury Secretary nominee:

“The nominee currently before us is the president’s pick for Health and Human Services Secretary: Congressman Tom Price, MD. Dr. Price knows more about health care policy than just about anyone. He doesn’t just understand health-care policy as a policymaker — though he does, deeply — he also understands it as a practicing physician.

“He gets the real-world impact. He has a clear-eyed view about Washington’s capacity to do great harm, even with the best of intentions, just as he’s excited about his potential to do great good. He can start having a positive impact almost as soon as he’s confirmed. He can start bringing stability to the health-care markets Obamacare has harmed. He can start bringing relief to the families Obamacare has hurt. I know he’s ready to get to work with Congress to move toward truly patient-centered health care, care that prioritizes the needs of patients over the needs of Washington.

“The American Medical Association supports him — says ‘[h]is service as a physician, state legislator and member of the U.S. Congress provides a depth of experience to lead HHS.’ The Association of American Medical Colleges supports him — says ‘[he] will bring a thoughtful, measured approach to tackling the wide range of issues affecting the nation’s health.’ And the Healthcare Leadership Council couldn’t be more enthusiastic — ‘[i]t is difficult,’ they said, ‘to imagine anyone more capable of serving his nation as the Secretary of Health and Human Services than Congressman Tom Price.’ That’s high praise. It also happens to be accurate.

“The American people need Dr. Tom Price applying his practical knowledge as a doctor and a legislator at the Department of Health and Human Services, an agency in great need of new leadership.

“This job is a big one, there’s no doubting that. It requires overseeing some of the nations’ most important programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and helping protect public health at the CDC, and helping find cures at NIH, and helping ensure at the FDA that those cures can make it to patients. It’s a big job, but Tom Price is the right man for it. We shouldn’t wait a moment longer to confirm him.

“As soon as we do, we’ll turn to the nomination of Steven Mnuchin to lead the Department of Treasury. I’ll have more to say about Mr. Mnuchin tomorrow. But let me say this. The last eight years, Americans had to endure an economy that failed to live up to its potential.

“Part of the problem was the regulatory avalanche of the last administration. It’s time to finally move towards a modern regulatory framework instead, one that appropriately manages risk while promoting growth and job creation.

“The president has started providing relief already that will move us toward that goal. Steven Mnuchin can help do more. He also has an important role to play in the effort to make our tax system simpler and more conducive to the kind of economic growth and job creation we should all want. It won’t be easy to get that done.

“We need someone like Steven Mnuchin working with both parties to make it happen. This Treasury nominee is smart, he’s capable, and he’s got impressive private-sector experience. We need him confirmed as soon as possible so he can begin to tackle these challenges and reverse the last eight years of economic heartache.”