HHS Nominee Hearings Continue at Senate HELP
On Sept. 16, 2026, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a
hearing
to consider the nominations of Chris Klomp to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and Nicole Saphier to be Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service and Surgeon General of the Public Health Service. Saphier reported investments in companies including McDonald's Corp. and tobacco company Philip Morris International Inc., and plans to divest from those holdings if she is confirmed, according to her ethics agreement. Several senators questioned Saphier about her stance on smoking and vaping following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision to approve several flavored e-cigarette products in May. Saphier said she sees value in flavored vapes as a potential off-ramp for adult smokers, but understands concerns about access for children. Saphier said she opposes smoking broadly and as a physician she doesn’t “want anyone smoking anything.”