President Biden’s nominee for well being secretary, Xavier Becerra, will seem earlier than a Senate committee Tuesday morning, the place he's antic
President Biden’s nominee for well being secretary, Xavier Becerra, will seem earlier than a Senate committee Tuesday morning, the place he’s anticipated to face robust questions from Republicans who’re making an attempt to color him as an extremist and to make use of his affirmation as a political cudgel towards Democrats up for re-election in 2022.
If confirmed, he’ll instantly face a frightening activity in main the division at a crucial second, throughout a pandemic that has claimed half 1,000,000 lives and brought a very devastating toll on individuals of shade. He can be the primary Latino to function secretary of the federal Division of Well being and Human Companies.
Mr. Becerra, a former member of Congress who’s now lawyer basic of California, lacks direct expertise as a well being skilled. However he took a deep curiosity in well being coverage whereas in Washington, and has extra just lately been on the forefront of authorized efforts on well being care, main 20 states and the District of Columbia in a marketing campaign to guard the Inexpensive Care Act from being dismantled by Republicans.
Republicans and their allies within the conservative and anti-abortion actions have seized on Mr. Becerra’s protection of the A.C.A. in addition to his help for abortion rights. Senator Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, took to Twitter on Monday, the place he branded Mr. Becerra an “unqualified radical” in a publish that featured a political commercial concentrating on Democrats who help Mr. Becerra’s affirmation.
“Any Senator supporting him can pay a value with voters,” Mr. Cotton wrote.
The Conservative Motion Mission, an advocacy group, issued a press release on Monday signed by dozens of conservative leaders, together with a number of former members of Congress, complaining that Mr. Becerra had a “troubling file” with respect to “insurance policies regarding the sanctity of life, human dignity and spiritual liberty.”
They cited particularly his vote towards banning “late-term abortion,” and accused him of utilizing his position as lawyer basic “to tip the scales in favor of Deliberate Parenthood,” a bunch that advocates abortion rights.
Democrats are emphasizing Mr. Becerra’s expertise main one of many nation’s largest justice departments by means of an particularly making an attempt interval. In a press release, Senator Patty Murray, who will preside over Tuesday’s listening to as chairwoman of the Senate well being committee, mentioned Mr. Becerra had “confirmed himself as an govt chief” and spotlighted his dedication to social justice.
“He has held firms accountable for flouting Covid-19 security guidelines and placing staff in danger,” Ms. Murray mentioned. And, she added, “he has labored all through his profession to advocate on behalf of communities of shade throughout well being, immigration, training and extra.”
Heading into Tuesday’s listening to, Mr. Becerra has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill; as of Monday he had met with a minimum of 40 senators. Andrew Bates, a spokesman for the Biden transition, known as him a “examined, certified chief” who has “a long time of well being coverage expertise,” together with “a powerful file of combating to decrease prices for sufferers.”
Tuesday’s session would be the first of two affirmation hearings held this week by the Senate Committee on Well being, Training, Labor and Pensions. On Thursday, the panel will contemplate the nominations of Dr. Vivek Murthy for surgeon basic and Dr. Rachel Levine for assistant secretary of well being.
If the Senate approves, Dr. Murthy would reprise his position as surgeon basic below former President Barack Obama, and Dr. Levine would grow to be the primary brazenly transgender official to win Senate affirmation.