WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House called on the Senate to confirm Dr. Casey Means as U.S. surgeon general without further delay in a statement by the White House press secretary. President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday that he did not know how Means was faring in the nomination process more than a month after her Senate confirmation hearing.

"We have a lot of great candidates," Trump said. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Means's qualifications and said Trump continues to support her nomination in a statement late Monday.

"Dr. Casey Means has spent her entire career as an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and researcher bringing attention to America's chronic disease epidemic and how our healthcare system is failing the American people," Leavitt said. "The President stands by her and the Senate should move to quickly confirm Dr. Means as our next surgeon general without further delay."

Means must first be approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee before her nomination can advance to a full Senate vote. Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana and chairman of the committee, declined to say when the panel might act on Means's nomination. The Senate adjourned for a two-week Easter recess hours after Cassidy declined to comment on Means's nomination.

Means faced criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for her stances on vaccines, birth control, and pesticides. She previously depicted vaccines, birth control, and pesticides as dangerous to human health. Means often sidestepped questions about vaccines, birth control, and pesticides at her February Senate confirmation hearing.

Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska, asked Means about her past skepticism of hepatitis B shots for newborns during the confirmation hearing. "I need to try to understand your thinking on that, given the medical consensus that this vaccine prevents this serious liver disease and liver cancer," Murkowski said. Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, asked Means about her past use of psilocybin during the confirmation hearing. Psilocybin is illegal in the U.S. with exceptions for supervised treatment in Oregon and Colorado.

Means does not have an active medical license and has not completed a medical residency. The surgeon general oversees the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, a federal branch whose officers are required to maintain active licenses in their respective fields.

Means built her career critiquing the role of unhealthy foods in chronic diseases. She served as a campaign adviser during Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential bid. If confirmed as surgeon general, Means would be an ally of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., head of the "Make America Healthy Again" movement. Calley Means, Casey Means's brother, is a White House adviser.