Nomination of Xavier Becerra (Cong. Rec., March 17, 2021, p. S1597)
Summary
A page of the Congressional Record, Senate, dated March 17, 2021, at page S1597, under the heading Nomination of Xavier Becerra. Senators speak in support of the nominee, with Mr. Brown and others saying that as California's attorney general he led the second largest Justice Department in the Nation and fought to protect the Affordable Care Act, and that he would be the first Secretary of Health and Human Services of Latino descent. They say Republican opposition reflects opposition to the Affordable Care Act and the expansion of Medicaid. The page begins with Mr. Menendez, as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, speaking on defending against foreign interference in elections, and ends with a parliamentary inquiry.
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“Nomination of Xavier Becerra (Cong. Rec., March 17, 2021, p. S1597).”
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March 17, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1597
not ours, but we must make clear that 2010 has changed the lives of millions of that he did as a Member of Congress, as
our disagreements are not with them Americans in New Jersey and across attorney general, and the work that he
but with Vladimir Putin and his cor- the Nation for the better. will do at HHS.
rupt, autocratic regime. As California’s attorney general, no In the middle of the worst health cri-
Defending our elections isn’t just one has fought harder to protect the sis of our lifetime, we need someone
about strong cyber measures, pro- Affordable Care Act than Xavier leading this Department who under-
tecting the ballot box, and promoting Becerra. And if confirmed to this posi- stands the importance of public health
better practices on social media. It is tion, no one will work harder to pro- and who will work to build a stronger,
about having a foreign policy that tect and improve access to healthcare more affordable healthcare system for
clearly communicates our values and than he will. the future. That is what Xavier
interests, one that leaves no room for As the first Secretary of Health and Becerra will do.
debate over the openness of any Amer- Human Services of Latino descent, I He has the experience for this job. As
ican President to foreign interference. know that Mr. Becerra will focus a Senator MENENDEZ pointed out, he ran
It is about a foreign policy that recog- great deal on addressing the health dis- the Nation’s second largest law firm.
nizes how the Kremlin’s efforts to parities that are harming so many He helped pass the Affordable Care Act,
weaken democracy in Ukraine or in lower income and minority commu- as a Member of the House, that ex-
other European countries ultimately nities nationwide, disparities we saw panded coverage to millions of Ohioans
threatens democracy here in the played out over the past year as and tens of millions of Americans.
United States. It is about a foreign pol- COVID–19 claimed a disproportionate I think the Republican opposition, all
icy that works with allies and part- number of Black and Brown lives. partisan opposition, to Attorney Gen-
ners, not one that denigrates them at Mr. Becerra will also work to undo eral Becerra for Secretary of HHS, as
every turn. the damage wrought by the Trump ad- Senator CASEY pointed out, is all about
The intelligence community is get- ministration to our healthcare system, their opposition to the Affordable Care
ting better at detecting and guarding from weakening nursing home stand- Act, their opposition to expansion of
against interference, but we must re- ards that left seniors more vulnerable Medicaid. I heard one Senator after an-
main vigilant. Russia and other foreign in this pandemic to allowing health in- other say their State isn’t treated
actors will continue to attack our surers to, once again, sell shoddy, right by Medicaid, but they didn’t even
democratic process. Their tactics may skimpy plans to consumers that failed expand Medicaid in many of those
evolve, but their intentions remain the to protect them from massive medical States.
same, and we need to stay one step bills. As State attorney general, he took
ahead of them. And, finally, I want to address some on tobacco companies, drug companies,
The Biden administration is off to a of the criticisms I have heard from my opioid manufacturers, and polluters.
good start in defending our democracy. colleagues on the other side of the aisle That is another reason Republicans op-
As chairman of the Foreign Relations regarding Mr. Becerra’s qualifications. pose him, because he took on their big-
Committee, I look forward to working The notion that Mr. Becerra has no gest contributors and their sponsors
together to advance policies that re- managerial experience is laughable, and the people they come to the Senate
flect America’s time-honored demo- given that as California’s attorney gen- and fight for. That willingness to stand
cratic values both at him and abroad. eral, he has successfully led the second up to big drug companies is going to be
PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY largest Justice Department in the Na- more important than ever in the years
Madam President, parliamentary in- tion, second only to the U.S. Depart- ahead.
quiry: Is there a time limit that we are ment of Justice.
The cost of prescription drugs eats
in the midst of? And it is not lost on me that those
away at the budget of seniors and fami-
The PRESIDING OFFICER. We are in questioning Mr. Becerra’s credentials
lies in Cleveland and Akron and Mans-
postcloture on the Becerra nomination. are the very same colleagues who
field and Youngstown and Dayton. I
Each Senator has up to 1 hour. claim that Congressman Tom Price’s
Mr. MENENDEZ. Further parliamen- look forward to working with future
background as a doctor qualified him
tary inquiry: Is there a limit on time Secretary Becerra to bring down those
to lead an Agency that touches the
divided by side or is the floor open re- drug prices. I also hope we can work to-
lives of every single person in our great
gardless? gether to expand the Affordable Care
land. Well, he was a disaster and did
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The floor Act and to make it work even better
not last a full year as Secretary of
is open to any Senator who seeks rec- for the families.
HHS. And the immediate past Sec-
ognition. retary was a lawyer who did a good job We started this month, and the Pre-
Mr. MENENDEZ. Thank you. in his pharmaceutical firm of dramati- siding Officer from Wisconsin was a
NOMINATION OF XAVIER BECERRA cally pushing up insulin prices. part of this, with the American Rescue
Madam President, just switching So I am confident that both Mr. Plan. People buying healthcare in the
very briefly, I want to urge my col- Becerra’s passion for healthcare issues, ACA exchanges are going to have lower
leagues to join me in support of the as demonstrated throughout his tenure premiums because of the rescue plan.
nomination of Xavier Becerra to serve in Congress, and his record as Califor- Mr. Becerra will work to undo the
as Secretary of the U.S. Department of nia’s attorney general will serve him vast disparities in healthcare in our
Health and Human Services. well as Secretary of Health and Human country. This pandemic has been the
I consider Mr. Becerra a friend. I had Services. great revealer. It has shown how un-
the privilege of serving with him in the I urge my colleagues to support his equal access to care and pollution and
House of Representatives. In fact, we nomination. He will lead this Agency biases in the system and so much else
both came to Congress at the same with integrity and, most importantly, have hurt the health of Black and
time, a time, I might add, when there make the health of the American peo- Brown Americans for generations.
were far fewer Latinos elected to Fed- ple his No. 1 priority. We need to start with getting accu-
eral office than we have today. With that, I yield the floor and thank rate data on how different commu-
As a member of the Ways and Means my colleague from Ohio for indulging nities have been hurt by this pandemic,
Subcommittee on Health, Mr. Becerra my time. something I have pushed for over the
frequently spoke up for the many The PRESIDING OFFICER. The sen- past year and something I know will be
Americans left behind by our ior Senator from Ohio. a priority to the new Secretary of
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
healthcare system: seniors facing sky- Mr. BROWN. Madam President, I rise Health and Human Services.
high prescription drug bills, patients to speak in favor of Xavier Becerra, as I urge my colleagues to join me in
with preexisting conditions, children, Senator MENENDEZ just did. confirming him so he can work to help
and the working poor. Like Senator MENENDEZ, when Xa- get every American vaccinated, to ex-
Furthermore, he played an active vier and I came, we all were in the first pand PPE and COVID testing supplies,
role in the effort to pass the Affordable class in 1992 together. I consider him a and to build a stronger healthcare sys-
Care Act, a landmark law that since friend also and have admired the work tem for the future.
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S1598 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 17, 2021
CONFIRMATION OF KATHERINE C. TAI reer because of our work with Senator viser, Katherine Tai knows how impor-
Mr. BROWN. Madam President, for WYDEN to fix the Trump administra- tant it is for the people in the room
decades, Ohio workers have watched tion’s corporate trade agreement. He making trade decisions to actually re-
the spread of a corporate business said it was a new NAFTA. It was really flect, to actually reflect the diverse
model where companies shut down pro- a tired, old, mostly the same NAFTA, workforce that our trade policy affects.
duction in Toledo or Dayton or Gallip- rebranded as USMCA. We went to We know one good appointment and
olis or Youngstown. They collected a work. We secured groundbreaking new one good provision won’t stop out-
tax break to move jobs to Mexico or worker protections. Katherine Tai was sourcing, but I am always going to be
China where they can exploit workers one of the key policymakers who straight with American workers. We
only to sell their products back into worked with us to make that happen. have come a long, long way, but we
the United States. Ohioans live with She was in the negotiations. She was in have a long, long way to go to undo the
those consequences every day. the discussions. She helped Senator damage our trade policies have done
Last week, 81 workers in Bucyrus, WYDEN and I make this a much better over the past three decades.
OH, had their jobs outsourced to China, bill that people, like a whole lot of us, As the Presiding Officer, I have stood
where GE-Savant moved production of as progressives, pro-worker Senators, up to Presidents of both parties on
its high-efficiency light bulbs overseas. could vote for. trade throughout my career. That is
Now, 81 union workers are facing tough Her work helped us make the first not going to change. One of my proud-
conversations at the kitchen tables: improvement to enforcing labor stand- est votes was one of my first votes, and
How will their families survive; will ards in our trade agreements enforce- that was against the North American
they fall behind on their rent or their able, serious labor standards, since we Free Trade Agreement.
mortgage; do they move away with have been negotiating them. I will continue to watch closely what
their kids; will their kids have to We know why companies close fac- this administration does. If they show
change schools—all those decisions tories in Ohio and open them in Mex- any hint of reverting back to the old
that families have to make when work- ico. They can pay lower wages. They way of doing things, of letting corpora-
ers or when plants shut down and move can take advantage of workers who tions dictate trade policy at the ex-
overseas. don’t have rights. American workers pense of workers, they will hear about
The Presiding Officer from Wisconsin can’t compete. We get a race to the it from me. This is going to be a con-
has been involved in this fight ever bottom on wages and benefits. stant effort over many years.
The only way of stopping it is raising As thrilled as I am with Katherine
since her career began in the House 20-
labor standards in every country we Tai, we know we still have a job to do
plus years ago, and I have worked
trade with and making sure those labor to reorient trade agreements and trade
alongside with her to make sure that
standards are enforced.
we have a different trade policy. But laws that are a priority; that our em-
That is what Katherine Tai will do.
when one production line closes, the phasis no longer is corporations, but it
She will enforce the laws we already
ripple effect extends, as we know, to have. She will stand up for American is American workers. It has to be cou-
the whole community, to other work- workers. She will fight for American pled with real investment in the com-
ers and communities in the supply businesses when countries cheat the munities that have been hollowed out
chain. rules. She will work with us to level because of Washington’s and Wall
Yesterday, people in Northeast Ohio, the playing field so steelworkers and Street’s past mistakes. It has to be
in the Cleveland area, woke up to head- autoworkers and communication work- paired with an overhaul of our Tax
lines about yet another American cor- ers in Ohio and Wisconsin and all over Code to end, once and for all, the tax
poration deciding to build things in the country can compete. breaks paid for by Ohioans and others
Mexico instead of Ohio with Ford She won’t allow corporate lobbyists to send production overseas.
breaking its promise to invest $900 mil- to write trade agreements. We have Trade doesn’t happen in a vacuum.
lion in Avon Lake. seen it. Since I came to the Congress, Our policies must work together to cre-
I got a call 2 days ago from a we have seen it with NAFTA. We have ate a global market where workers are
smalltown mayor, John Hunter, mayor seen it with CAFTA. We have seen it treated with dignity; they are safe on
of Sheffield Lake, OH, a longtime with PNTR. We have seen it with the job; they are paid fair wages; they
Ford—he was a Ford worker, retired, agreement after agreement after agree- are able to bargain collectively; they
now mayor of Sheffield Village. He ment: Corporate lobbyists write trade are able to bargain collectively for bet-
talked about how Ford had promised, agreements. Workers are locked out of ter pay and benefits.
at the bargaining table in 2019, that the room. When you love this country, you
they would invest $900 million in this Now, with U.S. Trade Rep Tai’s con- fight for the people who make it work.
Avon Lake plant. Ohioans are tired of firmation—the nominee, of course—I That is what Katherine Tai will do.
watching corporation after corporation asked her what she will do to start to I thank my colleagues for the strong
abandon the workers and communities regain the trust of Americans in trade. vote in support of her confirmation.
that have made their businesses suc- She said: I yield the floor.
cessful. You start by listening. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The jun-
We are being told that production of ior Senator from Maryland.
She then talked about the Mahoning
cheap, simple products will be shipped Valley, Youngstown area in my State, NOMINATION OF XAVIER BECERRA
overseas, while innovative, high-value listening to and understanding the con- Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Presi-
products will be made in the United cerns of communities that have gotten dent, I rise today in strong support for
States by American workers. We see in hurt over and over. the confirmation of California’s attor-
Bucyrus, we see in Avon Lake that The administration’s outline for its ney general, Xavier Becerra, to be the
that is just not true, and we are sick of 2021 agenda, trade agenda, which Miss next Secretary of Health and Human
it. Our trade policy has to change. Tai will be charged with carrying out, Services.
That is why today was a good day for says that ‘‘trade policy should respect I am absolutely confident that Mr.
this country. Katherine Tai was con- the dignity of work.’’ Becerra has the knowledge, the experi-
firmed by this body 98 to nothing. She Trade policy should respect the dignity of ence, the skills, and, just as impor-
understands trade policy. She is the work and value Americans as workers and tantly, the values and principles re-
right leader to take us in a new direc- wage earners. quired of this job—a job that will play
tion on trade with American workers a key role in beating the coronavirus
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
Imagine that; that our trade policy,
at the center. She is a serious expert. never before have we seen this respect- and tackling the urgent issues of eq-
She is respected on both sides of the ing the dignity of work and valuing uity and affordability now facing our
aisle. We saw that in that vote today. Americans as workers and wage earn- healthcare system.
She has a proven track record of mak- ers. That is the kind of thinking we I am especially confident in my as-
ing progress for workers. need leading our trade policy. sessment of Xavier Becerra because I
Last year, I voted for a trade agree- As the first woman of color to ever have known him personally for years,
ment for the first time ever in my ca- serve as the President’s chief trade ad- both as a former colleague and as a
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