WASHINGTON — Nearly two months into the Biden administration, in the thick of the worst public health crisis in a century, the Department of Health and Human Services remains largely leaderless, with President Biden’s nominees to run the sprawling agency under concerted attack from Republicans over abortion and gender politics.
Twenty-three out of 31 top leadership posts at the department — including secretary of health and human services, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and the assistant secretary for preparedness and response, all critical to fighting the coronavirus pandemic — are held by career officials in acting capacities.