By Ahmed Aboulenein
WASHINGTON, Sept 16 (Reuters) - The Republican chairman of the U.S. Senate health committee on Wednesday blamed the Trump administration's approach to vaccines for recent measles deaths in Pennsylvania during a confirmation hearing for three of President Donald Trump's top health nominees.
Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana physician who chairs the panel, delivered the critical opening statement to the hearing as the nation grapples with its worst measles outbreak in more than 35
years.
"We have four people in Pennsylvania reportedly dead" because of what he called misinformation and misguided policies, Cassidy said.
The remarks set a combative tone as the committee weighs Chris Klomp for deputy secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Nicole Saphier for surgeon general, and Dr. Timothy Westlake to lead the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Cassidy said the country needs health leaders "who make decisions based on science, not politics or ideology."
Cassidy directed his sharpest warning at Saphier, describing the surgeon general post as that of "the nation's doctor" who Americans look to for medical guidance, and said he wanted to hear how she would restore confidence in public health.
His broader critique put the nominees on notice over policies set by their prospective boss, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Cassidy said vaccines are "overwhelmingly safe and effective, and they do not cause autism," and criticized an executive order breaking up the childhood vaccine schedule, saying it would require children to get more shots and make them less safe.
Cassidy has been increasingly critical of Kennedy's efforts to overhaul U.S. vaccine policy despite casting the deciding vote confirming the health secretary to the post with full knowledge of Kennedy's history of public anti-vaccine activism.
Cassidy lost his Republican primary in May, after Trump targeted him for retribution over his 2021 vote to convict at Trump's second impeachment trial, and has since grown more openly defiant.
"By the way, CDC apparently is working on a definition of death by measles. Someone said we haven't had to work on that for decades because no one has died from measles, and now we have people dying from measles. That's going to be a terrible legacy for this administration," Cassidy said.
Cassidy praised Klomp and cited his experience as chief counselor at HHS and director of the Center for Medicare. He credited Westlake with helping pass his Halt Fentanyl Act and said he looked forward to working with him on mental health reforms.
Saphier, a radiologist and former Fox News contributor, is Trump's third pick for surgeon general, after wellness influencer Casey Means stalled in the Senate and Trump withdrew Dr. Janette Nesheiwat's nomination over questions about her credentials. The U.S. has had no surgeon general since January 2025.
Klomp, a former health tech executive, has run much of HHS day-to-day, rising from Medicare director to chief counselor for Kennedy at the agency. The Finance Committee held his formal nomination hearing on Tuesday. Wednesday's session is a courtesy hearing.
The hearing is addressing the backlog of health vacancies across the administration. The Senate confirmed Dr. Erica Schwartz to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on August 5.
The FDA remains without a confirmed leader. Trump nominated White House policy aide Heidi Overton to lead the agency last month.
(Reporting by Ahmed AbouleneinEditing by Bill Berkrot)
