Washington, DC — Today, the Senate Finance Committee voted to advance the nomination of President Biden’s highly qualified pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra. Becerra has decades of experience and was instrumental in the passage of the Affordable Care Act when he served in the House. As California’s attorney general, Becerra also led the charge to protect Americans’ health care against constant, baseless Republican attacks. In response, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement:
“Xavier Becerra has proven he is uniquely qualified to serve as HHS Secretary. Becerra was an architect of the ACA, and he has been a staunch defender of the health care law as California’s attorney general. As the first Latino selected for this role, Becerra’s nomination is historic — especially at a time when our country is battling the coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately impacted communities of color. President Biden needs his health care team in place as soon as possible, and Becerra is ready to hit the ground running on day one to get the pandemic under control, build on the ACA, and protect the health of Americans. The Senate should vote to confirm Becerra immediately.”