Members of the Senate voted 55-43 to confirm Alex Azar II as President Donald Trump's new secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The vote count might hint at which senators are most likely to work to come up with bipartisan health finance legislation over the past months.
The previous confirmed HHS secretary, Tom Price, a former Republican representative, resigned after efforts to change the Affordablle Care Act system faltered, and after Price faced criticism about his travel expenses.
The Senate confirmed Price Feb. 10, 2017, by a 52-47 vote. Every Republican who participated voted for Price. Every Democrat, and every independent who normally votes with the Democrats, voted against price.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., changed course for the Azar nomination and voted against confirming Azar.
Five Democrats, and one independent who normally votes with the Democrats, crossed party lines to vote for Azar.
