[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 46 (Thursday, March 11, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S1479]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NOMINATION OF XAVIER BECERRA

  Mr. McCONNELL. Now, Mr. President, on a completely different matter, 
at noon today, the Senate will vote on whether to pluck the Becerra 
nomination out of committee after it failed to garner enough support to 
advance.
  Every one of President Biden's nominations the Senate has considered 
so far has received bipartisan support for confirmation. There is a 
reason Mr. Becerra could not get one single Republican vote to move out 
of committee. It is because he is such a thoroughly partisan actor with 
so little subject-matter expertise and such a demonstrated history of 
hostility toward basic values like the freedom of conscience. There is 
nothing about Mr. Becerra's record in Congress or in California to 
suggest he is the best possible person to run the Department of Health 
and Human Services in the middle of a once-in-a-generation viral 
pandemic--not even close.
  This is too important a job at too important a time for this 
administration to put raw partisanship ahead of qualifications. So I 
would strongly urge all Senators to vote against rescuing this 
nomination from committee. Let's give the President the opportunity to 
make a better selection.

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