New Healthcare Policymakers for 2025: President-elect Trump’s Nominees and Congressional Leadership

January 13, 2025

Come January 20, Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47 president of the United States and his administration will be working diligently to enact his policy priorities. The following individuals, including those nominated by President-elect Trump to be part of his leadership team as well as a new group of congressional leaders, will be working on that task. 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

President-elect Trump has tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Secretary of HHS has oversight for the following healthcare agencies: 

  • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS): President-elect Trump has picked Mehmet Oz, MD, as its new administrator. 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): President-elect Trump has selected former Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL) as CDC’s new administrator. 

  • Food and Drug Administration (FDA): President-elect Trump’s nominee to run FDA is Marty Makary, MD.  

  • Surgeon General: Janette Nesheiwat has been tapped by President-elect Trump to be the next Surgeon General. 

U.S. Department of Defense 

President-elect Trump selected former Fox News personality Pete Hegseth as the next secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense.  

U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs 

President-elect Trump has nominated former congressman Doug Collins to serve as the secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He has not settled on a nominee to run the Veterans Health Administration. 

 

Congress 

U.S. House of Representative  

Energy and Commerce: The new chair of the powerful House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee is Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-KY). Representative Frank Pallone (D-NJ) will serve as the committee’s Ranking Member. The Ranking Member for the health subcommittee has not been announced. Chairing the key E&C Subcommittee on Health will be Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA). Representative Richard Neal (D-MA) will be the panel’s Ranking Member. 

House Ways and Means: Representative Jason Smith (R-MO) will take over the reins as the chair of this committee. It is expected that Representative Richard Neal (D-MA) will be the panel’s Ranking Member. Chairing the Subcommittee on Health will be Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL), with Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) expected to serve as the subcommittee’s Ranking Member. 

Senate 

Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee: Senator Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA) has been picked to chair the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) will be ranking member. The incoming chair and ranking member for the committee’s health subcommittee has not yet been finalized. 

Finance Committee: Chairing the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, will be Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID). Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) will serve as the committee’s Ranking Member. The incoming chair and ranking member for the committee’s health subcommittee has not yet been finalized. 

President Trump has scores of additional nominees to fill the hundreds of positions requiring Seante approval. ASCP will report on those that impact our field. 

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