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Senate HELP Advances Nicole Saphier Surgeon General Nomination 12–11

By Drooid · Sep 30, 2026, 11:22 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The Senate HELP Committee voted 12-11 on September 30, 2026, to advance Dr. Nicole Saphier’s surgeon-general nomination.
Full-Senate confirmation will be scheduled only after the November 2026 midterm elections.
President Donald Trump nominated Saphier in April, her third surgeon-general nominee after two withdrawals.
Saphier said she does not believe childhood vaccines cause autism.
Senator Bernie Sanders will oppose Saphier, citing her past questioning of the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine.

History

Historical Context

In 1993 President Bill Clinton named pediatrician Joycelyn Elders, the first African-American surgeon general; her candid remarks on contraception earned a 55-44 Senate vote and a December 1994 resignation. The post, once filled by career uniformed officers, now often reflects presidential party politics. The HELP Committee’s 12-11, 2026 vote to advance Dr. Nicole Saphier, a vaccine-safety critic, revives that partisan dispute.

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Story summary

The Senate HELP Committee voted 12-11 on September 30, 2026, to advance Dr. Nicole Saphier’s surgeon-general nomination.
Full-Senate confirmation will be scheduled only after the November 2026 midterm elections.
President Donald Trump nominated Saphier in April, her third surgeon-general nominee after two withdrawals.
Saphier said she does not believe childhood vaccines cause autism.
Senator Bernie Sanders will oppose Saphier, citing her past questioning of the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine.

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