The Senate voted along party lines Wednesday evening to advance Rep. Tom Price’s (R-Ga.) controversial nomination to serve as secretary of Health and Human Services to a final vote.

Senators voted 51-48 to pass a procedural step in Price’s nomination, setting up a final confirmation vote for Friday morning.

Republicans say their plans to repeal the landmark 2010 Affordable Care Act depend largely on Price taking control of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as many policy changes can be made administratively.

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One GOP lawmaker said Price’s nomination was more important than those for other Cabinet posts — such as the secretary of Education — because it will allow their healthcare reform plans to move ahead.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden asks if public can trust vaccine from Trump ahead of Election Day | Oklahoma health officials raised red flags before Trump rally MORE (R-Ky.) said Wednesday morning he is eager to get Price confirmed so “he can get to work helping provide relief from ObamaCare and stabilizing the healthcare markets.”

Democrats signaled early that Price would be one of their top targets because of his staunch support for repealing ObamaCare and cutting spending on Medicare. The chamber confirmed Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsTrump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status White House officials voted by show of hands on 2018 family separations: report MORE Wednesday evening, before it moved on to Price's nomination.

Price, who was chairman of the House Budget Committee when nominated, announced that Congress would move to overhaul Medicare within the first six to eight months of Trump’s administration.

In 2015, he expressed support for a proposal to reduce Medicare costs by delivering benefits through a voucher program.

Price has also come under fire for getting a privileged offer to buy a biomedical stock after The Wall Street Journal reported last month that he received a 12 percent discount on the purchase.

Democrats noted that he bought the stock shortly before introducing legislation that would have benefited the company by blocking regulation of the manufacture of certain medical devices.

Price insisted in his confirmation hearing testimony that he did not have access to non-public information when he made his purchase.

But Democrats later accused the nominee of misleading the Senate Finance Committee about whether the stock offer was made widely available.

Sen. Ron Wyden Ronald (Ron) Lee WydenGOP senator blocks Schumer resolution aimed at Biden probe as tensions run high Republican Senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal Hillicon Valley: TikTok, Oracle seek Trump's approval as clock winds down | Hackers arrested for allegedly defacing U.S. websites after death of Iranian general | 400K people register to vote on Snapchat MORE (Ore.), the ranking Democrat on the Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over Price’s nomination, said the Wall Street Journal report showed that “Congressman Price has lied to the Congress.”

“We’re showing that we’re serious about our job of oversight and vetting and not rubber-stamping,” he said.

Sen. Joe Manchin Joseph (Joe) ManchinSenate leaders quash talk of rank-and-file COVID-19 deal OVERNIGHT ENERGY: House Democrats tee up vote on climate-focused energy bill next week | EPA reappoints controversial leader to air quality advisory committee | Coronavirus creates delay in Pentagon research for alternative to 'forever chemicals' Senate Democrats demand White House fire controversial head of public lands agency MORE (D-W.Va.), a leading centrist, announced Wednesday evening that he would oppose Price.