Baucus talks Libby with nominee

Sen. Max Baucus last week met with the nominee for the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

During the meeting, Baucus told Kathleen Sebelius, who is governor of Kansas, that he is eager to work with her on health-care reform, as well as to help the citizens of Libby.

With Sebelius up for the Health and Human Services post, Baucus will be in charge of her confirmation hearings. Baucus is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

“I told Gov. Sebelius that we must get to work on health-care reform and making sure the folks in Libby are taken care of,” Baucus said. “And there is no better place to start than coming back home with me, talking directly with folks in Montana, then rolling up our sleeves and getting this done.”

 As secretary, Sebelius would head up the Department of Health and Human Services which has more than 64,000 employees and is in charge of many health and safety agencies including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Indian Health Service, the Administration for Children and Families, and the Food and Drug Administration.