Sen. Rand Paul said Wednesday he plans to serve as the top Republican on the Senate’s health committee, a panel that will be central to Democrats’ plans to overhaul the health care system.
Paul currently chairs the Senate Homeland Security Committee, but his seniority on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee allows him to transition to be the panel’s ranking member.
“I know the issues before this committee affect nearly every American family, from the cost of health care and how schools serve our children to how people earn a living and save for retirement,” Paul, an ophthalmologist, said in a statement. “Too many in Washington answer these questions with more government, and the coming Congress will bring a rush toward socialism unlike anything we have seen.”
The Kentucky Republican has a history of promoting anti-vaccination claims and clashing with prominent doctors, such as his intense questioning of Dr. Anthony Fauci in July over the former health official’s response to the pandemic. He also supports restricting the federal government’s authority over education, including introducing a bill last year to terminate the Department of Education that died in committee.
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Paul would likely clash with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), who says he will hold hearings on his “Medicare for All” platform when he reclaims his chair position next year.
“There’s probably not a better spot to be in Congress to oppose socialism than to be opposed to the No. 1 socialist in the Senate,” Paul told Semafor on Monday, ahead of his decision.
Sanders told The Washington Sun on Tuesday that he is “willing to work with anyone” dedicated to improving the well-being of Americans.
The current chair, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), lost his primary to Rep. Julia Letlow.
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