Senate

Obama’s FDA chief overcomes hurdle

by Jordain Carney - 02/22/16 6:52 PM ET

The Senate voted 80-6 to end debate on President Obama’s nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), moving the nomination one step closer to confirmation.

Four of the six no votes on Obama’s nominee came from Democrats. A final vote on Robert Califf’s nomination is expected as soon as Tuesday.

{mosads}Despite widespread support, Califf has drawn opposition from senators in both parties over concerns about his ties to the pharmaceutical industry and the FDA’s strategy to combat an opioid epidemic.

Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who face tough reelection bids, joined with Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Joe Manchin (W-Va.), Ed Markey (Mass.) and Bill Nelson (Fla.) to vote against moving forward on Califf’s nomination.

Ayotte and Portman have made bolstering the federal government’s ability to prevent and treat drug addiction center to their reelection campaigns.

Markey and Manchin suggested earlier Monday that while they likely wouldn’t be able to prevent Califf from being confirmed, they would use his nomination to try to force a debate on opioid and heroin addition that would stretch into the appropriations process.

“This is the beginning of a long struggle,” Markey said. “We need the FDA to be a top cop on the beat, not a rubber stamp.”

With Califf currently serving as a deputy commissioner for the FDA, Manchin added that the next commissioner must be willing to take the agency in a different direction.

The two Democrats suggested they would use part of the 30 hours allowed under Senate rules before the final vote to read letters from their constituents who have been impacted by addiction.

Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the top members of the Senate’s health committee, voiced support for Califf’s nomination ahead of Monday’s procedural vote, suggesting he was the right man for the job.

The Senate’s Health, Education, Pensions and Labor Committee easily approved Califf’s nomination last month.

Deaths from prescription drugs and heroin overdose reached an all-time high in 2014, according to the Center for Disease Control.

Presidential candidate and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who opposes Califf’s nomination, missed the vote.