Yesterday, President-elect Joe Biden selected California Attorney General Xavier Becerra as the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Board Chair of Physicians for Reproductive Health Dr. Kristyn Brandi responded with the following statement:
“As a physician advocate, I welcome the nomination of Attorney General Becerra to lead the Department of Health and Human Services at this crucial time for public health. Becerra has been a key ally in the fight to protect health care for more than 20 million Americans through his leadership in defending the Affordable Care Act, which has helped mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I am hopeful that he will continue to center equity in efforts to improve access to health care, including reproductive health care
“Becerra also has a strong record in defending reproductive health and rights in the face of politically-motivated attacks from the federal government. From fighting the Trump administration’s cuts to Title X funding for organizations that support reproductive rights to protecting the right to access contraception regardless of one’s employer, he has been a champion for the rights of all people to make their own health care decisions.
“If confirmed, Attorney General Becerra would be the first Latino to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. My own work as a physician is influenced by my experiences as a Latinx woman, and I am hopeful that he will continue to center equity in efforts to improve access to health care, including reproductive health care – particularly for communities of color and people with low-income.”