Trump selects pro-life advocate Dave Weldon to direct CDC amid nomination controversies

President-elect Donald Trump has tapped former Congressman Dave Weldon, a dedicated pro-life advocate, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This decision comes amidst rising concerns among pro-life supporters regarding Trump’s broader health-related nominations.

In a recent statement shared via his social media, Trump heralded Weldon, who represented Florida in Congress from 1995 until 2009, as a physician with four decades of experience and an Army veteran. He emphasized Weldon’s commitment to American family values, saying, “As a father of two and a husband for 45 years, Dave understands American Family Values, and views Health as one of utmost importance.” Trump expressed confidence in Weldon’s ability to help tackle chronic diseases and restore the CDC to its core mission.

While Trump highlighted Weldon’s collaboration with the CDC to ban patenting human embryos, he did not delve into the details of the Weldon Amendment—legislation that Weldon sponsored. This amendment, introduced in 2005, protects healthcare workers from being compelled to perform or refer for abortions if it contradicts their personal or religious beliefs. Despite facing challenges and calls for repeal primarily from Democratic lawmakers, it has been reinstated in various forms in appropriations bills over the years.

Notably, Weldon’s nomination arrives at a critical juncture. Former Vice President Mike Pence has openly criticized another of Trump’s health nominations, that of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the CDC. Pence characterized the choice of Kennedy as a troubling shift from the pro-life legacy of Trump’s first term, expressing alarm that Kennedy has historically supported unrestricted access to abortion.

Pence urged the Senate to reject Kennedy’s nomination, dubbing him potentially the most pro-abortion Republican appointed to such a position in modern history given his positions that include a desire to overturn the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision. The political landscape in the Senate plays a crucial role in these confirmations; with the Republicans holding 53 seats, they possess a straightforward path to confirm both Weldon and Kennedy if they unify on their choices.

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