Hours after the Senate voted along party lines to approve his nomination early Friday, veteran Georgia Republican Tom Price turned in his title as a member of Congress, and took over as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services, ready to lead major changes in the Obama health law.
"Dr. Price is uniquely qualified to step into this leading role during this time of reform in the life of health care in America," said Vice President Mike Pence, who presided over Price's swearing-in ceremony.
"President Trump has made it a top priority of this new Congress to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act," the Vice President added.
So far, Republicans have talked a lot in private about what they should do, but have not forged a plan to bring to the floor of the House or Senate for a vote.
As HHS chief, Price may be able to play a major role in the shaping of that legislation, as well as in administrative changes in the Obama health law.
The job though, may not be easy, as Price knows from his time in Congress, when he was one of the few lawmakers to introduce legislative plans on health care reform - but Republicans have never brought any of those to a vote.
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