Senate confirmation hearing for Casey Means, Trump’s surgeon general pick, postponed after she goes into labor

The Senate confirmation hearing for Dr. Casey Means, President Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, was delayed on Thursday due to her going into labor with her first child, as confirmed by a health committee spokesperson to CBS News. Dr. Means was supposed to testify before the Senate Health, Labor, and Pensions Committee on Thursday morning. She was nominated for the position in May after the withdrawal of Dr. Janette Nesheiwat’s nomination by the White House just before her confirmation hearing.

A statement from a Health and Human Services spokesperson expressed joy for Dr. Means and her family, stating that it was an opportune time to request a rescheduling of the Senate hearing. The Senate Health, Labor, and Pensions Committee also announced that the hearing will be postponed to a later date.

As the head of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, which is under the Department of Health and Human Services, the surgeon general plays a crucial role in shaping the national public health agenda.

Dr. Means is the co-founder of Levels, a health app that integrates with glucose monitors. She has gained a significant following online for her writings on health and wellness. After her medical training at Stanford Medical School, she chose to shift away from traditional medicine to focus on addressing the root causes of health issues in America.

Known as a close ally of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Dr. Means, along with her brother Calley Means, were instrumental in securing Kennedy’s endorsement of President Trump. Their advocacy against the negative impact of the food and drug industry on health aligns with Kennedy’s perspective on the connection between unhealthy lifestyle choices and prevalent health conditions in the U.S.

This report was contributed to by Joe Walsh and Alexander Tin.

For more news updates, visit CBS News.

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