Senators Press Klomp on Power at HHS Deputy Hearing — SkimNews
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- Chris Klomp appeared before the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday as part of two days of hearings before two key committees reviewing his nomination to be deputy secretary of HHS, second-in-command to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- Klomp has already played a major role in the Trump administration's Make America Healthy Again agenda, helping negotiate deals with pharmaceutical companies aimed at offering lower drug prices.
- Klomp also conducted searches for high-profile hires and acted as a liaison between HHS and the White House, roles senators examined as evidence of his existing influence at the department.
- Klomp told the Senate Finance Committee that his responsibility is to "enable the smooth operations of the department," citing oversight of personnel and the need to "make sure that we have everything."
- Lawmakers focused their questioning on the authority Klomp already wields and how that power would expand if his nomination is confirmed, making the hearing partly a review of decisions already made under his informal leadership.
Why it matters: If confirmed, Klomp's existing influence over HHS personnel decisions, pharmaceutical deal-making, and White House liaison work would become formal deputy secretary authority — concentrating operational control under RFK Jr. and ratifying deals Klomp has already helped negotiate on the Trump administration's behalf.
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