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- Sep 24, 202675% CONFIDENCEfrom the source
Senate HELP Committee Holds Heidi Overton's FDA Commissioner Hearing
- The Senate HELP Committee holds the confirmation hearing for Dr. Heidi Overton as Commissioner of Food and Drugs on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. ET in 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building; she is the only witness[1]
- The hearing follows straight after the committee votes on several HHS and National Mediation Board nominees and on a bill against student aid fraud, and will be streamed live[3]
- Trump announced the pick on social media on August 19 ("Dr. Heidi has been a ROCKSTAR in my Administration"); a senior official said she was his third choice, after Brad Wenstrup and acting commissioner Kyle Diamantas turned the job down[6]
- Overton is a preventive medicine physician and deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, previously at the America First Policy Institute; she would replace Marty Makary, who resigned in May after 13 months[4]
- She would take over an FDA that has lost more than 3,000 staff over the past year, including division heads, amid low morale and fights over vaccines, the abortion pill and drug approvals[4]
- She spoke at the August 10 signing of Trump's executive order cutting back the childhood vaccine schedule, and has questioned letting medication abortion be prescribed by telehealth[5]
- HELP Chair Bill Cassidy said he has "strong concerns" about her lack of management experience and her role in the vaccine order; Sen. Patty Murray said she will vote no; Republicans hold the committee by one seat[6]
- Former FDA commissioners Scott Gottlieb and Mark McClellan backed her and called the hearing "an early test, and an opening"[2]
References 685% CONFIDENCE
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- [1]75%help.senate.gov/hearings/nomination-of-heidi-overton-to-be-commissioner-of-food-and-drugshelp.senate.gov· Posted Sep 23, 2026· Starts Sep 24, 2026 ✓· 18% of score
Given as scheduled, per help.senate.gov[3]: "Date: Thursday, September 24, 2026 / Time: 10:30 AM ET/ 9:30 AM CT / Location: 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building"; it takes place "directly after the HELP Committee votes" on other nominations, so it may start a little later.
- [2]75%Former FDA commissioners: Heidi Overton has an opportunity to strengthen the FDA - STATstatnews.com· Published Sep 22, 2026· 17% of score
Opinion by former commissioners Gottlieb and McClellan backing her ahead of 'Thursday's confirmation hearing'; used only for their stance.[1]
- [3]95%NEXT WEEK: Senate HELP Committee to Hold Hearing on Nomination for FDA Commissionerhelp.senate.gov· Published Sep 17, 2026· 17% of score
The committee's own press release: date, time (10:30 AM ET), room 430 Dirksen, the hearing follows the committee's votes, and there is a livestream.[1]
- [4]90%US Senate Panel Sets Hearing for Trump's FDA Pick - Reuters via US Newsusnews.com· Published Sep 17, 2026· 17% of score
Reuters confirms the 24 Sep hearing, the August nomination, more than 3,000 staff lost, Makary's May resignation, and the fights over vaccines and the abortion pill.[1]
- [5]85%What to know about Dr. Heidi Overton, Trump's pick to lead the FDA - NPRnpr.org· Published Aug 20, 2026· 15% of score
Her background, the 18,000-person agency, her views on telehealth medication abortion, and her role at the Aug. 10 vaccine executive order.[1]
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