Xavier Becerra

Xavier Becerra (; born January 26, 1958) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 25th United States secretary of health and human services, a position he held from March 19, 2021 to January 20, 2025. He is the first Latino to hold the position. Becerra previously served as the attorney general of California from January 2017 until March 2021. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing downtown Los Angeles in Congress from 1993 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Becerra was Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus from 2013 to 2017.

Born in Sacramento, California, Becerra graduated from Stanford University and received his Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School. He worked as a lawyer at the Legal Assistance Corporation of central Massachusetts, before returning to California in 1986 to work as an administrative assistant for state senator Art Torres. He served as a deputy attorney general in the California Department of Justice from 1987 to 1990 before he was elected to the California State Assembly, where he served one term from 1990 to 1992.

Becerra was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1992. He represented California's 30th congressional district from 1993 to 2003, California's 31st congressional district from 2003 to 2013, and California's 34th congressional district from 2013 to 2017. He served as Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus from 1997 to 1999, Vice Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus from 2009 to 2013, and as a member of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. He was elected Chairman of the U.S. House Democratic Caucus from 2013 to 2017.

Early life and education

Born in Sacramento, California, on January 26, 1958, Becerra is the son of working-class parents, Maria Teresa and Manuel Guerrero Becerra. His father was born in the U.S. and raised in Tijuana, Mexico, and his mother was from Guadalajara. As a child, Becerra grew up in a one-room apartment with his three sisters. He graduated in 1976 from C.K. McClatchy High School, located in the center of Sacramento. He studied abroad at the University of Salamanca in Salamanca, Spain, from 1978 to 1979, before earning his Bachelor of Arts in economics from Stanford University in 1980, becoming the first person in his family to graduate from college. He received his Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School in 1984, and was admitted to the State Bar of California in 1985.

Early career

Becerra began his career as an attorney, working on cases involving individuals who had mental disorders for the Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts (now Community Legal Aid).

Becerra returned to California, and in 1986, became an administrative assistant for Democratic State Senator Art Torres of Los Angeles. He served as a deputy attorney general in the California Department of Justice under Attorney General John Van de Kamp from 1987 to 1990.

After incumbent state assemblyman Charles Calderon decided to seek a seat in the California Senate, Becerra launched a grass-roots campaign for the California State Assembly, defeating Calderon's Senate aide Marta Maestas in the Democratic primary. He went on to defeat Republican Lee Lieberg and Libertarian Steven Pencall, receiving 60% of the vote. Becerra served one term in the State Assembly, representing California's 59th district, from 1990 to 1992. As a state legislator, Becerra worked to pass a law that would increase gang members' sentences.

U.S. House of Representatives (1993–2017)

Elections

In 1992, 25th district congressman Edward Roybal announced his retirement after 30 years in Congress. Becerra entered the race for the seat, which had been renumbered as the 30th district after redistricting. Becerra won the Democratic primary with a plurality of 32% of the vote. In the general election, he defeated Republican nominee Morry Waksberg, 58%–24%. He won re-election to a second term in 1994 with 66% of the vote. His district was renumbered as the 31st district after the 2000 census.

After redistricting, ahead of the 2012 elections, most of Becerra's old district became the 34th district. He defeated Republican Stephen Smith 85.6% to 14.4%.

Tenure

Becerra was a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, of which he served as chairman during the 105th Congress.

Becerra voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 because he "wanted to see direct protections for responsible homeowners" in the bill.

Becerra was appointed assistant to the speaker of the House for the 110th Congress. He won his bid to succeed John Larson as Vice-Chair in the 111th Congress, defeating Marcy Kaptur of Ohio by a vote of 175–67.

Becerra successfully ran for a second term as Vice-Chair in 2011 to serve during the 112th Congress.

During the 111th Congress and 112th Congress, Becerra served on several high-profile committees. He was appointed to serve on the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (often called Bowles-Simpson/Simpson-Bowles) on March 24, 2010. Becerra was selected to serve on the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (also known as the Super Committee) on August 11, 2011. And on December 23, 2011, he was appointed to serve on a bi-cameral conference committee to find bi-partisan solutions on middle-class tax cuts, unemployment insurance, and the Medicare physician payment rate.

Becerra had a seat on the House Ways and Means Committee and was the first Latino to serve on the committee.

Abortion rights and pay equity

A writer for '' Vanity Fair'' described Becerra as a "strident supporter of women's health and reproductive rights"; ''The New York Times'' stated that he has been "vocal in the Democratic Party about fighting for women's health". He voted against H.R. 3541, the Prenatal Non-Discrimination Act (PRENDA), which would have imposed civil and criminal penalties on anyone knowingly attempting to perform a sex-selective abortion. The 2012 bill also would have required health care providers to report known or suspected violations to law enforcement, including suspicions about a woman's motives for seeking an abortion. Becerra received a 100% rating from Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America in 2012. Becerra voted for the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.

Becerra argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that the Little Sisters of the Poor, a Catholic religious order, should be required to provide birth control services under the Affordable Care Act. In late 2020, arguing that the prosecution would discourage pregnant women from obtaining addiction treatment, Becerra requested that the Supreme Court of California block the murder prosecution of a woman who had consumed methamphetamine during her pregnancy, resulting in a stillbirth. The court declined to do so. In response to the Trump administration's 2020 decision to restrict federal funding to California because it requires insurance providers to cover abortion, Becerra stated that "California has the sovereign right to protect women's reproductive rights".

Committee assignments

* Committee on Ways and Means
** Subcommittee on Oversight
** Subcommittee on Health
** Subcommittee on Social Security
* Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction

Caucus memberships

* Congressional Hispanic Caucus (Former Chair)
* Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
* Congressional Progressive Caucus

Other political ambitions

2001 Los Angeles mayoral election

Becerra ran for mayor of Los Angeles in 2001. He finished with 6% of the primary vote, finishing behind businessman Steve Soboroff, Councilman Joel Wachs, former California State Assembly speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, and the eventual winner, then- city attorney James Hahn.

Consideration for federal government positions

In 2008, Becerra was considered for the position of U.S. trade representative in the administration of President-elect Obama. While it was reported that he had already accepted, he announced on December 15 that he would not accept the position. Becerra had endorsed then-Senator Barack Obama for president on January 27, 2008.

Becerra was on the shortlist of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton for the vice presidential nomination in 2016. Senator Tim Kaine was eventually chosen.

During the presidential transition of Joe Biden in 2020, it was reported that Becerra was being considered for the Cabinet positions of secretary of homeland security and attorney general.

2020 U.S. Senate speculation

In August 2020, California senator Kamala Harris was selected by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate. After Biden ultimately won the general election, Becerra was floated as a possible replacement for Harris, along with others such as Representative Karen Bass, Representative Barbara Lee, Secretary of State Alex Padilla (who was eventually chosen), and former Secretary of Labor Hilda Solís. Early December reports that Biden planned to nominate Becerra as Secretary of Health and Human Services rendered such speculation moot.

2026 California Governor campaign

In the 2026 California gubernatorial election, incumbent governor Gavin Newsom will be ineligible to run for reelection due to term limits. In February 2024, Politico reported that Becerra was considering a run for governor, and that he or affiliated individuals had approached a political consulting firm to that effect, a potential violation of the Hatch Act. Becerra's tenure as Secretary of Health and Human Services was described as "frustrating and at times rocky" by the Politico article and in a previous interview Becerra said that he missed being California attorney general because of the autonomy of the position. On April 2, 2025, Becerra declared his candidacy for governor of California in the 2026 gubernatorial election.

California Attorney General (2017–2021)

Becerra accepted Governor Jerry Brown's offer to be the attorney general of California on December 1, 2016. The California Legislature confirmed Becerra to the post on January 23, 2017. He succeeded Kamala Harris, who was elected to the United States Senate. Becerra was sworn in on January 24, 2017, becoming the first Latino to serve as California's attorney general. Becerra was elected to a full four-year term in 2018, after defeating Republican challenger Steven Bailey by securing 61 percent of the vote.

While Attorney General, Becerra challenged policymaking by President Trump that would disproportionately impact California, home to one in ten Americans. He delivered the Democratic Spanish-language response to President Trump's 2019 State of the Union address.

During his tenure, Becerra filed 122 lawsuits against the Trump administration, focusing on environmental and healthcare issues. Notably, he successfully defended significant national policies such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) before the United States Supreme Court.

California Department of Justice reforms

Bureau of Environmental Justice

In 2018, Becerra created an environmental justice bureau at the California Department of Justice. Among other legal actions, it opposed the effort to expand San Bernardino International Airport due to concerns regarding air pollution, intervened to halt a proposed waterfront cement plant in Vallejo, citing significant concerns over increased air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and supported the City of Arvin's oil and gas ordinance, endorsing a 300-foot buffer for homes, schools, and hospitals, and confirming that such local ordinances are not preempted by state law. The bureau also intervened in a lawsuit against the city of Fresno in 2018, leading to the city rescinding its approval of a large industrial warehouse project due to inadequate environmental review. By focusing on disparities such as the prevalence of polluting facilities near low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, the bureau's work has significantly addressed environmental justice concerns.

Protection of Natural Resources

Shasta Dam injunction and environmental impact

On July 31, 2019, Becerra achieved a significant legal victory when a Superior Court issued a preliminary injunction to stop Westlands Water District's involvement in a project to raise the Shasta Dam. Becerra's lawsuit argued that the project contravened the California Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, threatening the McCloud River's ecology. Federal studies revealed that raising the dam would expand the inundation of the river by 39%, adversely affecting its fisheries, habitats, and submerging sacred sites of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe.

Legal action against Tijuana River pollution

In September 2018, Becerra filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission. This action was in response to over 12 million gallons of untreated wastewater from the Tijuana River Watershed flowing into California, violating the Clean Water Act. The untreated wastewater, containing hazardous levels of pesticides, heavy metals, and bacteria, posed a significant threat to human health and the environment.

Protection of Redwood City Salt Ponds

In October 2020, Becerra achieved a significant legal victory in protecting the Redwood City Salt Ponds, vital to the San Francisco Bay's ecosystem. The U.S. District Court's ruling against the EPA's exclusion of the Salt Ponds from the Clean Water Act safeguards these areas from urban development. Additionally, efforts to restore the Salt Ponds as salt marshes and wetlands have been instrumental in enhancing the Bay's ecological health and bolstering climate change resilience, particularly against sea level rise.

Protection of endangered species in Sacramento and San Joaquin River

In February 2020, Becerra, exercising his independent authority as defined in the California Constitution (art. V, § 13) and Government Code (§§ 12660–12612), filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on behalf of the People of the State of California. The legal challenge focused on the federal government's inadequacy in protecting endangered species in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. It specifically scrutinized the biological opinions provided under the Endangered Species Act in relation to federal water export operations, emphasizing their insufficient protection of vulnerable species and habitats in the Bay-Delta area. On May 11, 2020, Becerra secured a preliminary injunction in this lawsuit against the Trump Administration for unlawfully expanding water export operations in the Central Valley.

Criminal law enforcement

Arrest of La Luz Del Mundo leader in major sex trafficking case

On June 4, 2019, Becerra announced the arrest of Naasón Joaquín García, the leader of the international religious organization La Luz Del Mundo, along with several co-defendants. The defendants were charged with serious offenses including human trafficking, production of child pornography, and forcible rape of a minor. The alleged crimes occurred between 2015 and 2018 and involved coercing victims into sexual acts under the guise of religious authority. The criminal complaint filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court accused García and his associates, Alondra Ocampo, Azalea Rangel Melendez (who remains at large), and Susana Medina Oaxaca, of committing 26 felonies in Southern California. With this arrest, Becerra emphasized the commitment of the California Department of Justice to combat human trafficking and protect the rights of survivors. The arrests were part of a collaborative effort involving multiple law enforcement agencies and were initiated by a tip received through the clergy abuse online complaint form of the California Department of Justice. On June 8, 2022, Naasón Joaquín García was sentenced to more than 16 years in a California prison.

Operation Blocc Buster: Takedown of Casa Blanca Gangster Crips

On January 17, 2020, Becerra and Riverside Police chief Larry Gonzalez announced the successful execution of "Operation Blocc Buster," targeting the Casa Blanca Gangster Crips street gang in Riverside. This operation led to the arrest of 15 individuals and the seizure of 14 firearms, including assault weapons, along with methamphetamine and cocaine. The Casa Blanca Gangster Crips, known for violent crimes such as murder, assault, and narcotics trafficking, have been a significant concern in the south Riverside community.

This operation is part of a broader initiative under Becerra's leadership, where the California Department of Justice actively collaborates with local and federal agencies to dismantle various criminal street gangs across California, enhancing public safety and addressing gang-related violence and crime. This comprehensive anti-gang initiative has led to hundreds of arrests, significantly disrupting various criminal street gangs. Key operations under this initiative include a May 2017 crackdown on the Sureño gang and its connections to the Mexican Mafia in Merced County, and a June 2017 operation against the Sureño gang in San Bernardino County. In November 2017, efforts focused on members of the Mexican mafia and drug cartels across Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange Counties. December 2017 saw the takedown of gangs including the MOB, Flyboys, East Coast Crips, and others in Stockton.

Further operations throughout 2018 and 2019 maintained this momentum. In August 2018, an operation targeted the MS-13 gang in the Central Valley and beyond. October 2018 featured a major operation dismantling Riverside County's largest criminal street gang. The following year, multiple operations were directed against Norteño street gangs in Kings, Tulare, and Stanislaus Counties, as well as in Stockton. In December 2019, the Country Boy Crips in south Bakersfield were the focus of a significant operation. These targeted actions reflect the Becerra's ongoing dedication to curbing gang-related violence and crime, ensuring safer communities across California.

Statewide organized crime ring charged with sex trafficking in California

On September 13, 2019, Becerra of California announced the filing of charges against Jing Chiang Huang, Shu Mei Lin, Shao Lee, Peihsin Lee, Pengcheng Cai, and Dafeng Wen for their alleged involvement in a statewide organized crime ring engaged in sex trafficking, tax fraud, and money laundering. This legal action, the product of a collaborative effort between the California Department of Justice, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, and several other law enforcement partners, asserts that from 2015 to 2019, the defendants committed 13 felonies related to sex trafficking. The criminal complaint suggests that the accused used Backpage.com for their operations and forcibly coerced individuals into prostitution at various brothel locations, employing tactics like withholding passports and threatening job opportunities to maintain control over their victims. The announcement of these charges underlines Attorney Becerra's ongoing commitment to eradicating sex trafficking and protecting the rights of survivors in California. Five suspects were sentenced in March 2022.

Additional criminal law enforcement

Becerra brought fourteen felony charges against Center for Medical Progress activists for recording fourteen videos (see Planned Parenthood 2015 undercover videos controversy), and one felony charge for conspiring to invade privacy, on March 28, 2017. The charges were dismissed by a California Superior Court judge in June for not stating the names of those recorded and the specific dates of the recordings; the charges were refiled with the names and dates in July 2017.

In 2019, Becerra threatened "legal action" against reporters who had received records of California law enforcement officers who had been convicted of crimes during the past decade.

In December 2020, Becerra was faulted by state district attorneys for not taking leadership to help stop unemployment fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic, in what was described as the "biggest taxpayer fraud in California history". In January 2021, investigators said the total fraud was over $11 billion, with $19 billion in claims still under investigation. Most of this money will likely never be recovered, prosecutors said.

Lawsuits against Trump administration

Defense of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

In addition to his numerous legal challenges against the Trump administration, a significant aspect of Xavier Becerra's tenure as California Attorney General was his defense of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy before the United States Supreme Court. This defense was crucial for the approximately 650,000 Dreamers across the United States, with more than a quarter of them residing in California. In June 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a ruling that upheld the DACA policy, marking a significant victory for these Dreamers. The California Department of Justice, under Becerra's leadership, played a pivotal role in this outcome. In November 2019, Becerra led a coalition of 21 attorneys general to defend DACA against the Trump Administration's attempt to terminate it. The Court found that the administration's actions to end DACA were unlawful.

Defense of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)

As the Attorney General of California, Becerra led the multistate lawsuit to defend, and ultimately save, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), culminating in the significant Supreme Court ruling in California v. Texas on June 17, 2021. In this capacity, he led the legal challenge against efforts to dismantle the ACA, emphasizing the Act's critical importance in providing healthcare to millions of Americans, especially those with pre-existing conditions. Becerra's staunch defense of the ACA at the Supreme Court highlighted his commitment to ensuring accessible healthcare for all. His efforts were pivotal in upholding the ACA, a decision that affirmed the continuation of essential health protections and services across the United States.

Additional federal litigation

In February 2019, Becerra, Governor Gavin Newsom, and 15 other states filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the president's declaration of a national emergency to fund a wall at the southern U.S. border. As of September 26, 2019, Becerra had sued the Trump administration 62 times in total.

The Trump administration opened 1 million acres in California to fracking and drilling in December 2019. Under the new policy, the Bureau of Land Management proposed new lease sales for oil and gas extraction along "California's Central Valley and Central Coast, touching eight counties and including 400,000 acres of public land". California officials and agencies, including Becerra, filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management in January 2020.

Despite the multiple lawsuits against the Trump administration filed with other state attorneys general, Becerra had not joined antitrust efforts against any major tech companies. His office would not disclose whether it had examined any tech companies and had not endorsed any joint investigations with other states. On December 9, 2020, it was reported that Becerra's office had joined 47 other states and the Federal Trade Commission in an antitrust lawsuit against Facebook, Inc, headquartered in California.

Ballot drafting

As Attorney General of California, Becerra was tasked with writing ballot titles and summaries that appeared on voter information guides and ballots in both the 2018 and 2020 elections. Proponents accused Becerra multiple times of writing biased descriptions that violated the law, which requires "a true and impartial statement of the purpose" of measures. In one of many unsuccessful lawsuits against Becerra, a state judge wrote that attorneys general have "wide latitude" in how they write ballot descriptions. Critics said the responsibility to write the ballot title and summary should be transferred to a different, non-partisan office.

Secretary of Health and Human Services (2021–2025)

Nomination and confirmation

After Joe Biden's election as president in November 2020, Becerra was considered a candidate for United States attorney general. The ''New York Times'' reported in early December 2020 that Biden would nominate Becerra as Secretary of Health and Human Services. His nomination to lead the Health and Human Services Department has been criticized by pro-life and conservative leaders led by Students for Life of America, citing his "absence of health care experience and his disregard for people of faith". Becerra's nomination was deadlocked by the Senate's Finance Committee on March 10, 2021. One day later, on March 11, 2021, Becerra's nomination was discharged from the Finance Committee by the entire Senate, in a vote of 51–48. He was confirmed by the Senate in a vote of 50–49 on March 18, 2021, with all but one Democrat present and one Republican, Susan Collins, voting in favor. This was the narrowest vote for any of Biden's cabinet positions. On March 22, 2021, Becerra was sworn in to be the new secretary.

Tenure

Soon after officially becoming the secretary of health and human services, Becerra released a statement praising the Affordable Care Act and encouraging people to keep enrolling in its health care program. Becerra also became Secretary during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Becerra is credited for his efforts to preserve reproductive rights across the country, to expand Medicaid and CHIP postpartum coverage for more than half the states in the nation, and reducing disparities in access to public health tools—particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He has consistently cited curbing health care costs, advancing women's health, and tackling gaps in who has access to health care as big priorities—along with protecting public health.

Medicare drug price negotiations

Becerra was instrumental in implementing Medicare drug price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), with the aim of reducing prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries by allowing direct price negotiations for high-cost medications.

In 2023, Becerra and HHS finalized negotiations for 10 high-cost drugs, including Eliquis, Jardiance, and Xarelto, achieving discounts of 38% to 79%. These lower prices, effective in 2026, would have saved Medicare $6 billion in 2023 alone. Building on this success, Becerra announced 15 additional drugs for negotiation in 2025, with reduced prices set to take effect in 2027. These medications, including Ozempic, Ibrance, and Vraylar, account for $41 billion in annual Medicare Part D spending and treat conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and asthma.

Additional matters

Becerra has overseen one of the biggest reform efforts of sub-agencies in HHS's history, including at the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Becerra has been criticized as health and human services secretary for being absent in the public eye during the pandemic, for confusing messaging by federal public health authorities and for the subsequent loss of public trust, and for his collaborative management style while serving as secretary; his defenders said he was given an unclear role as secretary. Becerra was similarly criticized following his agency's response to the 2022 monkeypox outbreak amid issues with health policy communication and what was widely considered a slow response; White House officials said that Becerra sought to scapegoat the states rather than take responsibility for the subpar response.

On October 6, 2022, Becerra was tasked by President Biden with expeditiously reviewing the List of Schedule I drugs (US), Schedule I classification of Cannabis (drug), cannabis.

In 2023, Becerra rejected cancer patients’ petition to use a law which allows HHS regulators to rescind exclusive patent protections for government-developed drugs making them more available to the generic market.

In 2023, ''The New York Times'' published investigations regarding immigrant child laborers who were working in violation of child labor laws across the U.S. According to the Times' reports, "Again and again, veteran government staffers and outside contractors told the Health and Human Services Department, including in reports that reached Secretary Xavier Becerra, that children appeared to be at risk". The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for the welfare of these children.

Personal life

Becerra is married to physician Carolina Reyes, and they have three daughters. He is a member of the Inter-American Dialogue think tank, based in Washington, D.C. Becerra is Roman Catholic.

Election history

California State Assembly

U.S. House of Representatives

California Attorney General

See also

* List of first minority male lawyers and judges in California
* List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress

References

External links

Campaign website

*

Join California Xavier Becerra

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Becerra, Xavier
1958 births
Living people
20th-century American lawyers
20th-century members of the California State Legislature
20th-century Roman Catholics
21st-century American lawyers
21st-century California politicians
21st-century members of the United States House of Representatives
21st-century Roman Catholics
American politicians of Mexican descent
American Roman Catholics
Biden administration cabinet members
Biden administration personnel
California attorneys general
Candidates in the 2001 United States elections
Catholic politicians from California
Democratic Party members of the California State Assembly
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from California
Hispanic and Latino American members of the Cabinet of the United States
Hispanic and Latino American members of the United States Congress
Hispanic and Latino American people in California politics
Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in California
Members of the Inter-American Dialogue
Politicians from Los Angeles
Politicians from Sacramento, California
Stanford Law School alumni
United States secretaries of health and human services
University of Salamanca alumni