Margaret Hamburg gets HELP C'tee backing

The US Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has confirmed Margaret Hamburg, President Barack Obama's nominee for FDA  Commissioner, as was generally expected. The hearing was moved forward  one week, according to the New York Times, because of the increase in  cases of H1N1 influenza in the USA. Ms Hamburg fielded questions about  the federal government's response to the disease.

The minority Republicans on the Committee might have been tempted to  delay matters, in retaliation for Democratic stalling against previous  nominees in the administration of George W Bush (Marketletters passim).  However, the NYT suggested that demoting to Deputy Commissioner the  acting Commissioner, Joshua Sharstein, a former staffer of  Representative Henry Waxman (Democrat, California), as well as  previously an employee of drug industry critic the Public Citizen, would  make more tactical sense. The CQ Today newsletter also reported that  Republicans were concerned about legislation that would give the FDA  authority to regulate tobacco products.

Ms Hamburg's nomination must be confirmed by the full Senate, which is  not expected to pose any difficulties if Democrats remain united. With  the defection of former Republican Arlen Spector (Pennsylvania) this  month, there is now a 60-40 majority, which makes partisan filibustering  impossible and also has consequences for the passage of  legislation.