Mikulski Calls for Strong Leadership During Confirmation Hearing for Sylvia Mathews Burwell to Lead Department of Health and Human Services

Press Release

U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today participated in a Senate confirmation hearing for White House nominee Sylvia Mathews Burwell to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Ms. Burwell is currently the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

"HHS is a $1 trillion agency, responsible for managing Medicare, Medicaid and the implementation of health reform. Every single person worldwide benefits from the work done at HHS," Senator Mikulski said. "HHS needs a strong leader, and I believe Sylvia Burwell is up to the job. I hope she is confirmed quickly so HHS can have their leader in place, so Congress has a point person as we work to pass the FY15 Labor-H Appropriations bill, and so the country can move forward with the implementation of health reform."

Senator Mikulski's opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, follow:

"Thank you, Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Alexander, for scheduling this hearing to consider the nomination of Sylvia Mathews Burwell to be Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS is a $1 trillion agency, responsible for managing Medicare, Medicaid and the implementation of health reform. HHS needs a strong leader, and I believe Sylvia Burwell is up to the job. I hope she is confirmed quickly so HHS can have their leader in place, so Congress has a point person as we work to pass the FY15 Labor-H Appropriations bill, and so the country can move forward with the implementation of health reform.

"I want to express my deep appreciation to Kathleen Sebelius. Whether it was as Secretary of HHS or Governor of Kansas, Ms. Sebelius has always been a bright, hard-working, devoted public servant. Despite constant and relentless opposition, she fought every day in every way to make health insurance a reality for millions of Americans. She was a phenomenal partner and tireless advocate in efforts to improve women's health, expand mental health benefits and services, fight childhood obesity and protect people from dangerous influenza strains. She was a fierce advocate for those most in need and she will be missed. I wish her and her family well in all future endeavors.

"I am so pleased to see Ms. Burwell here today. President Obama could not have selected a better person to lead HHS into the future. I first got to know Sylvia during the Clinton Administration, but I also worked with her when she was at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Wal-Mart Foundation.

"I really got to know Sylvia more recently in my role as Appropriations Chair while she ran the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). She played a pivotal role in helping Congress come to an agreement on a budget deal last December. Her work at OMB has prepared her to step up to the challenge of leading HHS. She is a problem solver who knows how to work with Congress. She is also a mom with kids. I am confident that Sylvia will be an outstanding HHS Secretary.

"HHS is a $1 trillion agency - every single person worldwide benefits from the work done at HHS. NIH finds cures and treatments for illnesses and diseases, and gives families and patients hope. The CDC protects public health by preventing the spread of disease. FDA protects our nation's food supply and ensures medical treatments are safe and effective. The Administration on Children and Families (ACF) runs the Head Start program, which helps lower-income families afford child care. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) manage Medicare for our nation's seniors and Medicaid for those in need. These are only a few examples of how we rely on HHS agencies.

"We also rely on HHS for the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Unfortunately, health reform remains a divisive issue, despite passing the House and Senate, being signed into law by the President and being upheld by the Supreme Court. And despite the benefits we've seen so far. More than 8,000,000 Americans obtained health insurance. More than 3,000,000 people enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP. Being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition. People can no longer be denied coverage or charged more for pre-existing conditions. More than 7,000,000 seniors have now saved $9 billion on prescription drugs when they entered the "donut hole." All of this because of health reform.

"Despite the many successes of health reform, there is still much to be done. I want to hear Ms. Burwell's plan for the coming years -- ensuring smooth open enrollment periods free of glitches, working with states who are not where they need to be to ensure everyone who wants health insurance can get it, continuing to protect people's private information in an ever dangerous cyber climate, and the steps being taken to keep premiums low for all individuals and small business.

"Running HHS is a big job, and Ms. Burwell is the right woman for the job. I look forward to hearing how she plans to keep HHS moving in the right direction."

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