Senate Leadership Moves CMS Administrator Nomination Out of Committee

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer petitioned the Senate to advance Chiquita Brooks-LaSure’s nomination for Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) out of the Finance Committee. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) had blocked her nomination at the committee level in protest of CMS’ decision to end a Texas Medicaid waiver. A date has not yet been scheduled for Brooks-LaSure’s full Senate floor vote, but ANCOR will keep our members informed once a date is announced.

Politico Pro reports: “Chiquita Brooks-LaSure is one step closer to becoming President Joe Biden’s Medicare and Medicaid chief after the Senate on Wednesday narrowly agreed to advance her nomination in a procedural vote.

The vote was 51-48, with Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Jerry Moran of Kansas joining with Democrats to back Brooks-LaSure. The tally signals that Brooks-LaSure is likely to be confirmed despite widespread GOP opposition to her nomination that emerged in recent weeks as a protest to a Biden administration Medicaid decision.

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Brooks-LaSure faced little GOP opposition before the Biden administration scrapped the waiver extension, but the move united Senate Finance Republicans against her nomination.

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What’s next: The Senate will have to take another procedural vote before a final vote on Brooks-LaSure’s nomination. She’s expected to be confirmed this month.”