This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/17/us/politics/donald-trump-transition-tom-price.html

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Trump’s Health Secretary Pick in Trouble Over Insider Trading Accusations Trump’s Health Secretary Pick in Trouble Over Insider Trading Accusations
(about 2 hours later)
■ President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick for health secretary is in hot water over trades in health care stocks.■ President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick for health secretary is in hot water over trades in health care stocks.
■ The billionaire Betsy DeVos goes before a Senate committee for her confirmation hearing on Tuesday, with her ethics form still incomplete.
■ Mr. Trump again clashed with congressional Republicans on policy, this time over taxes.■ Mr. Trump again clashed with congressional Republicans on policy, this time over taxes.
First came The Wall Street Journal, which reported just before Christmas that Representative Tom Price of Georgia, the president-elect’s pick for secretary of health and human services, had traded more than $300,000 in health care stocks over four years while advocating or sponsoring legislation that could have increased their value.First came The Wall Street Journal, which reported just before Christmas that Representative Tom Price of Georgia, the president-elect’s pick for secretary of health and human services, had traded more than $300,000 in health care stocks over four years while advocating or sponsoring legislation that could have increased their value.
Then The New York Times followed with word that Mr. Price, Representative Chris Collins of New York, and a handful of other insiders had been offered a sweetheart deal on stocks for a tiny Australian company that then quintupled in value.Then The New York Times followed with word that Mr. Price, Representative Chris Collins of New York, and a handful of other insiders had been offered a sweetheart deal on stocks for a tiny Australian company that then quintupled in value.
On Monday, CNN weighed in with a story that revealed that Mr. Price had purchased shares in a medical device company just a week before introducing legislation to delay regulations that could significantly harm the firm.On Monday, CNN weighed in with a story that revealed that Mr. Price had purchased shares in a medical device company just a week before introducing legislation to delay regulations that could significantly harm the firm.
Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, called for an investigation. “This new report makes clear that this isn’t just a couple of questionable trades, but rather a clear and troubling pattern of Congressman Price trading stock and using his office to benefit the companies in which he is investing,” he said.Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, called for an investigation. “This new report makes clear that this isn’t just a couple of questionable trades, but rather a clear and troubling pattern of Congressman Price trading stock and using his office to benefit the companies in which he is investing,” he said.
There may be no time for that. But Mr. Price’s Senate confirmation hearings this week before the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Finance Committee, already set to be contentious, what with Medicare and the Affordable Care Act being hot topics, now promise to be scorching.There may be no time for that. But Mr. Price’s Senate confirmation hearings this week before the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Finance Committee, already set to be contentious, what with Medicare and the Affordable Care Act being hot topics, now promise to be scorching.
Speaking of hearings, the late-day confirmation hearing for Betsy DeVos, a billionaire and Mr. Trump’s pick for education secretary, is expected to feature fierce questioning from Democrats over her still-incomplete ethics form.
Ms. DeVos, the heiress to an automotive fortune who married into the even more vast fortune of the family that owns Amway, is one of few nominees to go before a Senate panel before completing an ethics questionnaire for the independent Office of Government Ethics addressing her vast financial holdings. According to prepared remarks, Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the highest-ranking Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee, will say:
Mr. Trump had already upended Republican plans to quickly repeal the Affordable Care Act, then replace it several years down the road, by demanding that a new health care law be ready within weeks.Mr. Trump had already upended Republican plans to quickly repeal the Affordable Care Act, then replace it several years down the road, by demanding that a new health care law be ready within weeks.
He made matters worse for Republicans when he told The Washington Post this past weekend that any replacement plan should offer insurance to all Americans, and that Republicans should embrace the long-held Democratic proposal to empower the federal government to negotiate drug prices for Medicare and Medicaid.He made matters worse for Republicans when he told The Washington Post this past weekend that any replacement plan should offer insurance to all Americans, and that Republicans should embrace the long-held Democratic proposal to empower the federal government to negotiate drug prices for Medicare and Medicaid.
Now he is vexing them on taxes. Mr. Trump campaigned hard on a proposal to impose a 35 percent tariff on goods built by American companies abroad, then imported into the United States. Since Republicans are generally opposed to huge tax increases on corporations, congressional leaders had come up with an alternative: “border adjustment,” under which companies would no longer be able to deduct the cost of goods they import from their taxes or exclude the revenue from exports when calculating taxable income. That would encourage companies to buy parts and materials from American suppliers.Now he is vexing them on taxes. Mr. Trump campaigned hard on a proposal to impose a 35 percent tariff on goods built by American companies abroad, then imported into the United States. Since Republicans are generally opposed to huge tax increases on corporations, congressional leaders had come up with an alternative: “border adjustment,” under which companies would no longer be able to deduct the cost of goods they import from their taxes or exclude the revenue from exports when calculating taxable income. That would encourage companies to buy parts and materials from American suppliers.
“Too complicated,” Mr. Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Friday.“Too complicated,” Mr. Trump told The Wall Street Journal on Friday.
“Anytime I hear border adjustment, I don’t love it,” Mr. Trump said. “Because usually it means we’re going to get adjusted into a bad deal. That’s what happens.”“Anytime I hear border adjustment, I don’t love it,” Mr. Trump said. “Because usually it means we’re going to get adjusted into a bad deal. That’s what happens.”
He’s not making it easy.He’s not making it easy.