Heavy hitters backing Leavitt
Kennedy, Reid praise him; token opposition expected
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee conducts hearings Tuesday morning, followed by the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday afternoon, on the eve of the presidential inauguration.
And by all accounts, President Bush's nomination of Leavitt will sail through with little, if any, opposition. And he has a powerful friend on both committees to smooth the waters: U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.
"Mike is simply one of the best leaders I've ever known," Hatch said at the time of the nomination. "He will bring competence and compassion to the people's agency."
While it is one thing for a powerful senator from Leavitt's home state to sound a ringing endorsement, it is quite another when the minority party chimes in. The ranking Democrat on the Health committee, Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, and the Democratic Senate leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, have both joined the chorus praising Leavitt.
"He knows firsthand many of the major issues he'll be facing at HHS, and he brings the perceptions of a former governor who has seen health and human services programs in action," Kennedy said in Congressional Quarterly.
Kennedy added he welcomes Leavitt's nomination and looked forward to working with him on health-care reforms.
Capitol Hill staffers predicted the nomination will sail through both committees, but they also expect some partisan sniping. "That's business as usual," said one Senate aide.
Opposition could come from two quarters: The pro-choice forces, something that is expected, and the far right, who sees Leavitt as too liberal on things such as sex education. And expect criticism over Leavitt's role in a 2002 federal Medicaid waiver, something that alarmed advocates for the poor in the 1990s and worries them more today.
Even those who criticize Leavitt have given the former governor high marks over his health-care reform plan, called HealthPrint, and his efforts to expand health insurance coverage for the working poor. He also expanded coverage to low-income elderly, the blind and disabled.
The basic premise of Leavitt' approach one that is certain to evoke questioning from senators is that it is better to offer less coverage but expand coverage over a broader population of needy than it is to offer a full range of coverage to a select few.
Comments
- 'Mates: Millsap deserves big payday 5:22 p.m.
- Millsap offer: $10.3M up front 4:59 p.m.
- Questions about osteoarthritis 4:43 p.m.
- Logan canal breaks; people missing 3:58 p.m.
- Man's body found 3:47 p.m.
- 'Love advocates' plan 'kiss-in' 3:46 p.m.
- Many-splendored container garden 3:29 p.m.
- California's $26B deficit 3:25 p.m.
- Eat your squash and blossoms 3:21 p.m.
- Searchers shovel seeking giant worm 3:18 p.m.
- Jazz brass debate Millsap match
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- 2 men cited on LDS plaza
- Jazz finances not quite so bleak
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- Utahns among Texans' investors
- Cash for Clunkers to get rolling soon
- HBO defends U. logo use in 'Love'
- Jazz rookies quiet Thunder youngsters
- Logan canal breaks; people missing
- LDS seminary principal arrested
318 - Jazz brass debate Millsap match
191 - 2 men cited on LDS plaza
156 - Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
140 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
124 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
99 - Fairness of BCS debated
83 - Letters: Single-payer system best
76 - Services bids farewell to Jackson
70
By now you've probably read about the investigation that showed just how...
Here's BYU's press release on Jonathan Tavernari's big game for the...
See ya later Paul. Have fun in Portland making way too much money.
wow! i cant believe this! he was a great man and no one expected this. he...
Just another example of the skewed world of professional sports...true...
wow!! he lied to so many!!!!!!
I forgot what I was going to say. Let's go ride bikes!
I have had it up to here......next time I am voting for Prop Hate!
Everyone here blames the victim over the teacher in these cases...regardless...
"friend says..." dang typos.
LDS institutions will not crack down more on this issue...they tend to...
In economic bad times if your neighbor is out of a job, it's a recession. If...


You can be the first to comment on this story.