If confirmed by the Senate, she would become only the second woman to lead the agency.
Bertagnolli is the director of the National Cancer Institute, where Biden said she has helped to advance his Cancer Moonshot initiative. While she has only been in that job since October, cancer advocacy organizations were quick to praise her and call for her swift confirmation.
The NIH has historically had bipartisan support from lawmakers in both chambers, and despite its current budget of nearly $50 billion, it has largely flown under the radar compared to other health agencies.
Previous NIH director Francis Collins was unanimously confirmed, and served for 12 years.
But the COVID-19 pandemic put Collins on the national stage, and the agency is facing difficult questions about whether it funded controversial virus research that may have inadvertently played a role in causing the pandemic.
House Republicans are probing the agency’s COVID-19 response, and Senate Republicans are interested in the agency’s pandemic messaging and funding priorities, as evidenced by comments during a recent budget hearing.
Bertagnolli is also likely to face pressure from progressives.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chairman of the Senate committee that would hold her confirmation hearing, told the White House he will oppose any health agency nominee who doesn’t commit to fighting the pharmaceutical industry to lower drug prices.
