Xavier Becerra, California’s attorney general and former congressman, was confirmed Thursday by the Senate as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
The narrow confirmation vote of 50-49 took place mostly along party lines, with Democrats in support and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine being the only Republican to cross the aisle and support Becerra’s confirmation. Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) did not vote.
Becerra wrote on Twitter that he is “honored and humbled” by his confirmation, and he is “ready to get to work.”
Becerra was one of Biden’s most controversial nominations due to his previous positions on abortion and conscience protections. The Senate Finance Committee was ultimately deadlocked on a favorable recommendation for his confirmation, forcing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to file a discharge petition for the whole chamber to vote to advance the confirmation.
He will take the helm of the health agency amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic with legal experience – but critics have pointed to his lack of public health experience.
Pro-life advocates from both parties expressed alarm at Becerra’s confirmation, pointing to his previous defense of coercive state abortion coverage and abortion advertising mandates….
The above comes from a March 18 story on the site of the Catholic News Agency.
Why is a comment shown in the place where a descriptive caption of the photo normally is? I know who Secretary Becerra is, but this looks out of place.
As to his not being an MD, I’m sure there are many career civil servant MDs at HHS who can advise him in an entirely professional manner, including a fair presentation of different points of view.
Excuse me Mike but you do realize that he is adamantly pro-abortion and is persecuting unjustly those who exposed the baby body parts scandal. Whether he’s qualified is irrelevant in my view. He is a fascist pro-abortion proponent who doesn’t care about life and liberty. What don’t you get about that?
A tragic mistake! Looking forward to the end of Biden”s presidency, in four years– and hopefully, also– the end of Becerra.
The Biden presidency will end in less than two years, to be replaced by the Harris presidency.
I’ll put a bit [say $20] on Joe to make it a full four years. If any takers, proceeds [either way] to Catholic Charities.
If VP Harris runs for Pres in 2024, that will really make history.
More interesting is: who will run for the Republicans in 2024?
I think a more pertinent question is will there still be a country in 2024. Any takers? And the dough doesnt have to go to Catholic Charities.
Joe is suffering from dementia and his physical health is bad and deteriorating. No way he makes it through his full term. The plan all along was to elect him as a way to usher Kamala into the presidency. That’s what’s coming.
I find it interesting how clueless some of the comments are to the fact that this man is totally with no respect for life
Fake Catholic
I hope he will fix Obamacare so that it will stop paying for the health insurance of millionaires.
Anon, the Affordable Care Act limits eligibility to those under 400% of the poverty level. It does not pay for health insurance for millionaires. It is meant as last resort insurance for people who can’t get other insurance because of cost or because of other issues. Many if not most people who lost their jobs because of the pandemic had to use ACA to cover their families. The average cost of individual insurance in CA is nearly $500/month.
It absolutely pays for millionaires. I personally know two of them. They have so much money that they don’t have to work and when they are no or low income, Obamacare pays for their insurance. It ain’t the greatest insurance though.
Anon, your friends aren’t millionaires or they are cheating. The poverty level in CA is about $25,000. 400% of that is $100K.
If you income is low, you can have millions in your retirement accounts and still get it.
I would not call them friends but they are too young for Medicare, quit their jobs young because they had more than enough money. One started a business that did not make much money. They had part time work that did not pay much. They have millions in their retirement accounts. The government sent a check for health insurance with their income tax refund. They did not ask for it.