1 GOP vote for Becerra; confirmation expected
WASHINGTON — Xavier Becerra will have bipartisan support for his confirmation vote as President Biden’s secretary of Health and Human Services, with Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins backing him as the Senate advanced his nomination.
The Senate voted 5148 on Thursday to bring Becerra’s nomination to the floor. It was a procedural step that was needed because the committee that considered his nomination tied along party lines on advancing him. With Thursday’s vote, the nomination was discharged from committee and will go to the full Senate for confirmation, probably next week.
Although the California attorney general still likely will be among the most narrowly confirmed of Biden’s Cabinet nominees, Collins’ support ensured that he will have at least one Republican vote, and almost certainly avoids the need for Vice President Kamala Harris to break a tie in the Senate. No other Republican voted to move Becerra’s nomination forward Thursday, foreshadowing the tally on his ultimate confirmation.
Collins said productive conversations with Becerra persuaded her to support him.
“During our oneonone meeting, and in three subsequent conversations, Mr. Becerra and I discussed several shared goals that I hope we can accomplish in the Biden administration,” Collins said in a statement first reported by The Chronicle. “Although there are issues where I strongly disagree with Mr. Becerra, I believe he merits confirmation as HHS secretary. I look forward to working with the depart
ment to achieve bipartisan results on behalf of the American people.”
Democrats united around Becerra, although he drew some concerns. Moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, whose lack of support doomed one Biden nominee last month, announced Thursday he would back Becerra despite their differing views on abortion and gun rights.
Most Republicans said Becerra lacked experience in health care policy and criticized cases he argued as state attorney general that they characterized as attacks on religious freedom. They took issue with his litigation over abortion rights and access to contraception.
Democrats, however, noted Becerra’s two decades in Congress working on health care policy, including helping to author the Affordable Care Act, and his work as California attorney general to defend that law from GOP challenges.
In a floor speech backing Becerra, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, the Democrat who chairs the committee that considered the nomination, dismissed GOP criticisms and urged swift confirmation.
“Becerra proved in his nomination hearing that he is ready to lead HHS, and he knows health policy inside and out,” Wyden said. “He’s got decades of valuable leadership and policy experience that will help him succeed in this job . ... A country facing a health care crisis needs the Health and Human Services secretary confirmed and on the job as soon as possible. There is no justification for delay.”