The California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
For Immediate Release
March 18, 2021
Contact: Monika Lee, (858) 353-7271
Sacramento, CA – The California Pan-Ethnic Health Network released the following statement upon the Senate confirmation of Health and Human Services Secretary, and former California Attorney General, Xavier Beccera.
“Today’s historic confirmation of HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra signals a new frontier in the fight for health equity, in the midst of a global pandemic that has exacerbated health disparities for communities of color across the nation. As Attorney General of California, and previously as a Congressperson, Secretary Becerra served as a champion of health equity, health expansion, and health protection for 40 million Californians, leading the defense of the Affordable Care Act in the Supreme Court, and taking on powerful special interests who prey on people’s health.
We know he will bring his experience and lifelong advocacy to the Federal administration, using his powers as head of the CDC to keep people safe and protect Americans during the pandemic. As the first Latino HHS secretary, he will be a champion for communities of color, particularly Latinx and undocumented people, at a time when we need strong federal leadership on health coverage and expansion, quality of care, affordability and accessibility to vital health care services.
The HHS secretary oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and Indian Health Services (IHS), amongst many other important departments.
Read our full statement on who Governor Newsom should appoint as California’s next Attorney General.
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