Klomp and Bai advance; Overton faces HELP on FDA nomination

Senate Finance advanced Chris Klomp’s HHS deputy nomination 15–12 (with Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse crossing over) and Ge Bai 14–13. Klomp — Kennedy’s chief counselor, ex-Medicare director, and the administration’s drug-pricing negotiator — is described as running HHS day-to-day. FDA nominee Heidi Overton faced a two-hour HELP hearing on the abortion pill, vaccines and autism, and foodborne outbreaks.

Sources: STAT News; NPR Illinois