Joe Biden Cabinet: Senate Democrats advance HHS nominee Xavier Becerra

President Joe Biden’s Cabinet has yet to be completed as the Senate moves to confirm his nominees at this time. Several of Biden’s nominations are currently facing heavy opposition from the Republicans in the upper chamber, leading Senate Democrats to utilize their majority powers to advance the nominations.

The Senate voted to advance Biden’s nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to the floor Thursday. Democratic lawmakers moved past GOP support with a new procedure to avoid a gridlock as the Senate is now evenly divided among both parties. When it came to Becerra, the Senate Finance Committee was split on advancing Becerra’s nomination at 14 votes for both sides.

However, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer forced a vote to discharge Becerra’s nomination with a 51-48 vote. The vote would clear the way for floor debate that would lead to his confirmation. Speaking ahead of the vote, Schumer expressed concern that none of their Republican counterparts would vote to support Becerra.

“I’m perplexed that none of my Republican colleagues would vote for him. He’s a capable man. He’s worked hard to make sure people get healthcare,” said the majority leader. During the vote to advance, Susan Collins was the only Republican Senator that voted for Becerra. This would be another step towards filling the top position at the department that would play a central role in the Biden administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to his nomination to become the HHS Secretary, Becerra currently serves as California’s attorney general and was previously a congressman for the state. During his time as the state’s AG, Becerra specialized in blocking Trump administration actions.

With Becerra’s nomination advanced for a full Senate vote, a few more confirmations to Biden’s cabinet were made this week. Ohio Congresswoman Marcia Fudge was confirmed to become Biden’s Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Michael Regan to become the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, and Merrick Garland as the new Attorney General of the Justice Department. All three received bipartisan support from the Senate.

Both Fudge and Regan are making history as the first Black woman and man to run both government agencies respectively. Prior to her confirmation, Fudge cast her last vote as a congresswoman in favor of Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill.