Xavier Becerra: California attorney general expected to lead Health and Human

On Mar 1, 2023

Becerra, a former member of Congress, emerged as the leading contender for the critical role after other candidates with more health care expertise were ruled out.

The New York Times was first to report the expected nomination.

Becerra is the first Latino to serve as the attorney general of California and has been in the post since 2017. He has been a fierce opponent of President Donald Trump, and the state of California has brought more than 100 lawsuits against the President and his administration’s policies.

More than half of the lawsuits are over environmental policies, according to the Los Angeles Times, that the Trump administration had either put in place or removed. Becerra has also been a leader in the fight to protect the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, an Obama-era program that Trump has attempted to abolish that has shielded from deportation certain undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children.

Becerra was also under consideration to serve as US attorney general, CNN previously reported.

The attorney general served 12 terms in Congress as a member of the US House of Representatives and held several leadership posts. He was the chair of the House Democratic Caucus, the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the ranking member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security. He was also the first Latino to serve as a member of the Ways and Means Committee.

Becerra also served one term in the California Legislature and is a former deputy attorney general with the California Department of Justice.

This story has been updated with additional information about Becerra.

Politics Xavier Becerra: California attorney general expected to lead Health and Human Services - CNNPolitics

Xavier Becerra: California attorney general expected to lead Health and Human

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