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Stripping Health Care Benefits From Lawmakers Gets More Complicated

Trump nominee to lead the OPM withdraws from consideration

Members and many staffers get their health insurance through the D.C. exchange. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Members and many staffers get their health insurance through the D.C. exchange. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)

The man who could act on President Donald Trump’s behalf to slash health care benefits for members of Congress does not want the job.

Trump’s nomination of George Nesterczuk to be director of the Office of Personnel Management was withdrawn Wednesday, according to a formal notification sent to the Senate.

The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee had not considered the Nesterczuk nomination, and Democrats said last month that all the paperwork had not yet been received.

FedSmith.com, a news site for federal employees, reported Tuesday that Nesterczuk was requesting to no longer be considered, citing “partisan attacks.”

The withdrawal means that the acting director Kathleen McGettigan, a career OPM veteran, will likely be staying in the position for the foreseeable future.

The most efficient way for Trump to undermine congressional member and staff health care benefits would be for the OPM to move ahead with rescinding the Obama-era order allowing employer contributions toward health insurance premiums to be paid through the D.C. small business exchange.

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