President Obama today will appoint Dr. Donald Berwick to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The President is making the recess appointment in the face of Republican threats to stall Berwick’s confirmation. Michael B. Keegan, President of People For the American Way, issued the following statement:

“Dr. Berwick is indisputably well-qualified to be the administrator of Medicare and Medicaid services, and I congratulate him on his appointment. Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress intended to turn Dr. Berwick’s confirmation process into a soapbox for their opposition to affordable health care while leaving CMS without an executive for an indefinite period of time. Political grandstanding that stalls the actual work of government does a disservice to the American people. Unfortunately, this kind of obstruction has become all too familiar in this Congress, and is still keeping dozens of qualified nominees from getting to work.”

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