Nomination of Xavier Becerra

Floor Speech

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Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President and colleagues, very shortly, the Senate will have the opportunity to confirm Attorney General Becerra to be the next Health and Human Services Secretary, and what this means is, after 4 years of going in reverse on health policy, it will be possible to drive and actually make progress for the American people in addressing their healthcare needs--progress in terms of lowering the cost of healthcare. We spent $3.8 trillion last year. So we have to lower costs, and we have to do it in a way that enhances quality, and Attorney General Becerra is going to be laser-focused on the key priorities for the days ahead. We all know that at the heart of that agenda is making it possible to end this pandemic.

Now, central to his agenda is going to be the distribution of vaccines because there are a lot of pieces to the challenge of beating the pandemic, but right at the heart of it is distribution of those vaccines and PPE and bringing together all the people at Health and Human Services and in our country to have a coordinated strategy for dealing with the pandemic.

We didn't have that in the past. I remember--and I am sure the Presiding Officer remembers--at one point, we didn't have any idea who was in charge. One day it was going to be the States. The next day it was going to be Jared Kushner. There was just bedlam for weeks and weeks with respect to who would even coordinate this country's strategy against the pandemic. With Xavier Becerra there, that will not be the case.

I just want--because I see colleagues also wanting to speak--to talk about another crucial aspect about having Xavier Becerra at the Department of Health and Human Services. What he is going to have to do is move quickly to reverse some of those flawed policies of the Trump administration, like junk insurance, barely worth the paper it was written on, the mindless restrictions that were placed on coverage. For example, that made it harder for people to get access to Medicaid. And some of what they did just defied common sense, making it tougher for people to enroll in the Affordable Care Act, and having modest efforts in New Jersey and Michigan and elsewhere to do outreach and to tell people about the availability of coverage.

What in the world is healthcare about? It is about getting coverage out to people, not inventing barriers to their getting care.

Finally, I just want to mention some of the exciting things from the recovery legislation that he will be able to focus on. I am sure my colleague from Michigan is going to be talking about these issues, as well, in the days ahead. But what is going to be done in terms of delivering postpartum care, an area where there has been enormous racial injustice, is going to make a huge difference--a major part of the recovery plan--the home and community-based services, which build on some of the work being done in the community. I remember from my days when I was director of the Gray Panthers, helping seniors and the disabled. And we are so excited about mental health officials and law enforcement officials coming together for what is known as the CAHOOTS Program from my home State, dealing with the racial tensions on the streets.

So Xavier Becerra has been running this mammoth agency in his State. You know, people say: What is his experience? He was on the Ways and Means Committee for years and years, the committee of jurisdiction as it relates to these issues, and then has been in California taking on monopolies, fighting those who would rip off the healthcare system, sticking up for the Affordable Care Act. So he has had frontline experience on these issues.

He should have been confirmed a long time ago, but now we are on the precipice of finally getting somebody who is going to take us forward in that key Agency in terms of meeting the healthcare needs for our colleagues.

When we have this vote shortly, I urge in the strongest possible way for the Senate to vote to confirm Attorney General Xavier Becerra for this crucial position.

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Mr. WYDEN. I thank my colleague.

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