ALSOBROOKS ‘NO’ ON FDA COMMISSIONER

September 24, 2026

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) questioned Dr. Heidi Overton, President Trump's nominee to be Commissioner of Food and Drugs for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Senator Alsobrooks questioned Dr. Heidi Overton about whether she believes that birth control contaminates our drinking water, and her awareness regarding how much money the tobacco industry has contributed to President Trump, in relation to the Administration's rollback of e-cigarette regulations. Dr. Overton did not answer the questions.

Dr. Overton will be regulating both pharmaceutical products and tobacco products if she is confirmed to lead the FDA.

On birth control:

Senator Alsobrooks: Do you have any reason to believe that birth control contaminates our drinking water in our country?

Dr. Overton: My job will be to work within the FDA statutory requirements for individual product review for safety and efficacy determination. What the EPA, to your question, the EPA is outside of the jurisdiction of the FDA. I think it's important for all agencies to answer questions that American people might have.

Senator Alsobrooks: Do you have any reason to believe that taking birth control, that women are contaminating our drinking water in our country by taking birth control?

Dr. Overton: Thank you for the question. If confirmed as FDA commissioner, I will work within what the FDA is required to do for individual product review for the safety and efficacy of those applications, post-market review and of those individual products.

On Big Tobacco spending:

Senator Alsobrooks: I want to know whether or not you know how much money Big Tobacco has contributed to the President's super PAC, inauguration, or to his ballroom?

Dr. Overton: Those are not things that I'm familiar with.

Senator Alsobrooks: I know you've been a senior advisor to him, but the answer is $20 million.

And do you know how much the President owns in tobacco stocks? I think these are questions the American people deserve to know. The answer is $1.64 million the President holds in Philip Morris and holds Altria investments.

Would you say that the President then has a vested personal financial interest in the success of the tobacco industry? Is that a fair statement?

Dr. Overton: I reject the framing of that. The President's interest is in the best outcomes for the American people. He is here to serve in that capacity.

Senator Alsobrooks: But you acknowledge that he is an investor in Big Tobacco. He has earned $1.64 million.

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