Xavier Becerra

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Xavier Becerra
HHS Xavier Becerra.jpg
Official portrait, 2021
25th United States Secretary of Health and Human Services
In office
March 19, 2021 – January 20, 2025
PresidentJoe Biden
DeputyAndrea Palm
Preceded byAlex Azar
Succeeded byRobert F. Kennedy Jr.
33rd Attorney General of California
In office
January 24, 2017 – March 18, 2021
GovernorJerry Brown
Gavin Newsom
Preceded byKamala Harris
Succeeded byRob Bonta
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from California
In office
January 3, 1993 – January 24, 2017
Preceded byEdward Roybal (redistricted)
Succeeded byJimmy Gomez
Constituency30th district (1993–2003)
31st district (2003–2013)
34th district (2013–2017)
House positions
Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
In office
January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2017
DeputyJoe Crowley
LeaderNancy Pelosi
Preceded byJohn Larson
Succeeded byJoe Crowley
Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
In office
January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2013
LeaderNancy Pelosi
Preceded byJohn Larson
Succeeded byJoe Crowley
House Democratic Assistant to the Leader
In office
January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009
LeaderNancy Pelosi
Preceded byJohn Spratt
Succeeded byChris Van Hollen
Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus
In office
January 3, 1997 – January 3, 1999
Preceded byEd Pastor
Succeeded byLucille Roybal-Allard
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 59th district
In office
December 3, 1990 – December 3, 1992
Preceded byCharles Calderon
Succeeded byDick Mountjoy
Personal details
Born26 January 1958 (aged 68)
Sacramento, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
Carolina Reyes
​
​
(m. 1989)​
Children3
EducationStanford University (BA, JD)
Becerra's voice

Becerra's opening statement on HHS's 2024 budget.
Recorded March 22, 2023
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Xavier Becerra (/hɑːviˈɛər bɪˈsɛrə/ hah-vee-AIR; born January 26, 1958) is an American politician and lawyer. Becerra was the 25th United States Secretary of Health and Human Services from 2021 until 2025 during the Joe Biden administration. He was the Attorney General of California from 2017 until 2021. He is currently the Democratic nominee for governor of California in the 2026 election.

Bacerra was a member of the United States House of Representatives. He had represented Downtown Los Angeles in Congress from 1993 to 2017. Becerra, a member of the Democratic Party, was Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.

Early life

Becerra was born on January 26, 1958, in Sacramento, California.[1] He is the son of Maria Teresa and Manuel Guerrero Becerra. His father was born in the U.S. and raised in Tijuana, Mexico. His mother was from Guadalajara, Jalisco.[2] Becerra grew up in a one-room apartment with his three sisters.[3]

Becerra graduated in 1976 from C.K. McClatchy High School.[4] He studied abroad at the University of Salamanca in Spain from 1978 to 1979. He got his Bachelor of Arts in economics from Stanford University in 1980, becoming the first person in his family to graduate from college.[5][6] He received his Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School in 1984 and became a lawyer in 1985.[7]

Early career

As a lawyer, Becerra worked on cases about people who had mental disorders for the Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts.[8] Becerra returned to California, and in 1986, became an administrative assistant for Democratic State Senator Art Torres of Los Angeles.[9] He was a deputy attorney general for Attorney General John Van de Kamp from 1987 to 1990.[10]

Becerra successfully ran for the California State Assembly in 1990.[11] He was in the state assembly for one term, representing California's 59th district, from 1990 to 1992.[12]

U.S. House of Representatives

In 1992, Becerra won the Democratic primary in California's 30th congressional district with 32% of the vote.[13] In the general election, he beat Republican nominee Morry Waksberg, 58%–24%.[14] He won re-election to a second term in 1994 with 66%[15] 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 beat Republican Stephen Smith 85.6% to 14.4%.[16]

During his time in the House, Becerra also ran for mayor of Los Angeles in 2001. He finished with 6% of the primary vote.[17]

Leadership roles

Becerra was a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus of which he was also chair for a short time.[18] Becerra also became assistant to the speaker of the House for the 110th Congress.[19] He also replaced John Larson as vice chair in the 111th Congress.[20] Becerra successfully ran for a second term as vice chair in 2011 to serve during the 112th Congress.[21] He also was chair of the House Democratic Caucus from 2013 to 2017.

Obama administration

In 2008, then-President-elect Barack Obama thought of Becerra for the role of U.S. trade representative.[22] While it was reported that he had already accepted,[23] he announced on December 15 that he would not accept the role.[24]

Becerra was on the shortlist to be former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's running mate in the 2016 election.[25]

California Attorney General

Bacerra was chosen to become Attorney General of California after Kamala Harris was elected to the United States Senate. He is the first Latino to serve as Attorney General of California.[26] Becerra was elected to a full four-year term in 2018, with 61% of the vote.[27] He gave the Democratic Spanish-language response to President Trump's 2019 State of the Union address.[28]

During his term as attorney general, Becerra filed 122 lawsuits against the first Trump administration.[29][30]

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services

On December 6, 2020 then President-elect Joe Biden nominated Becerra to be the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services.[31] Conservatives were against the nomination because of Bacerra's pro-abortion views.[32]

Becerra, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco watch as President Joe Biden signs an executive order protecting access to reproductive healthcare service, July 2022

His nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 18, 2021 with a narrow 50-49 vote.[33] On March 22, 2021, Becerra was sworn in to be the new secretary.[34]

Soon after officially becoming the secretary of health and human services, Becerra released a statement supporting the Affordable Care Act and having people enroll in its health care program.[35]

Becerra has been thanked for his work to support and keep reproductive rights[36] across the country.[37] He also helped expand Medicaid and CHIP postpartum coverage for more than half the states in the nation.[38] As secretary, Becerra said he wanted to cut health care costs, supporting women's health, and closing gaps in who has access to health care.[39][40]

Becerra also led one of the biggest reform efforts of sub-agencies in HHS's history, including at the Food and Drug Administration[41] and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.[42]

Becerra was criticized as health and human services secretary for not being very public during the COVID-19 pandemic, for confusing messaging by federal public health authorities and for the loss of public trust.[43] Becerra was also criticized for his agency's response to the 2022 monkeypox outbreak. Some officials in the White House said that Becerra wanted to blame the states rather than take responsibility for the poor response.[44]

2026 California gubernatorial campaign

Main page: 2026 California gubernatorial election

In February 2024, Politico reported that Becerra was thinking about running for governor of California during the 2026 election.[45][46] On April 2, 2025, Becerra declared his candidacy for the election.

Three days after the primary election, on June 5, 2026, Becerra advanced to the November run-off election.[47] He will face Republican Steve Hilton in the general election.[48]

Personal life

Becerra is married to physician Carolina Reyes. They have three daughters.[49] He is a member of the Inter-American Dialogue think tank in Washington, D.C.[50] Becerra is a Roman Catholic.[51]

Xavier Becerra Media

  • Old portrait of Congressman Xavier Becerra

  • Tipper Gore (left), Becerra (center), and President Bill Clinton

  • Official portrait as attorney general of California

  • Secretary Becerra with First Lady Jill Biden (center) and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough (left), June 4, 2021

References

  1. ↑ CEO Pay Cut: Real Change or Politics?. CNN. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0910/22/ec.01.html. Retrieved February 2, 2013. 
  2. ↑ Schmidt, Samantha (in en-US). For Xavier Becerra, California's attorney general, the fight with Trump is personal. ISSN 0190-8286 . https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/03/14/for-xavier-becerra-californias-attorney-general-the-fight-with-trump-is-personal/. Retrieved December 9, 2020. 
  3. ↑ Trump supporters shut down town hall with California Attorney General Xavier Becerra (in en-US). Daily News (March 24, 2017). Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  4. ↑ Congressional Directory 2011-2012 112th Congress (2012)Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780160886539. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  5. ↑ Congressional Directory California Thirty-First Districtgpo.gov. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  6. ↑ Landler, Mark (December 4, 2008). "The New Team – Xavier Becerra". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/us/politics/04web-becerra.html. Retrieved February 26, 2017. 
  7. ↑ Attorney Search Xavier Becerra - #118517calbar.ca.gov. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  8. ↑ Xavier Becerra Caucus Chairman Representing the 34th District of CAdems.gov.
  9. ↑ 108th Congress Directory California Thirty-First DistrictGovernment Publishing Office. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  10. ↑ Xavier Becerra (D) House - California, District 34 - Up for re-election in 2012. http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/B000287#. Retrieved February 2, 2013. 
  11. ↑ Acuna, Rodolfo (June 8, 1990). "The Candidate Who Upset Latino Politics: Xavier Becerra owes his victory to the people, not to the blessings of a papacito.". Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-06-08-me-535-story.html. Retrieved February 2, 2013. 
  12. ↑ BECERRA, Xavier (1958-). Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  13. ↑ CA - District 30 - Democratic Primary Archived October 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine (1992) Our Campaigns
  14. ↑ CA District 30 – General Election Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine (1992) Our Campaigns
  15. ↑ CA District 30 Archived September 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine (1994) Our Campaigns
  16. ↑ Cook, Rhodes. America Votes 33: 2017–2018, Election Returns by State (in en) (November 12, 2019)CQ Press. p. 49. ISBN 978-1-5443-5446-0. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  17. ↑ Herszenhorn, David M. (May 9, 2016). "As Xavier Becerra Stirs Crowds, Hispanic Democrats See a Running Mate" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/10/us/politics/as-xavier-becerra-stirs-crowds-hispanic-democrats-see-a-running-mate.html. Retrieved December 7, 2020. 
  18. ↑ Congressman Xavier Becerra To Deliver Hispanic Heritage Month Keynote (August 29, 2007)loc.gov. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  19. ↑ Allen, Jonathan (November 17, 2009). "Pelosi thrown 'under the bus'" (in en). Politico. https://www.politico.com/story/2009/11/pelosi-thrown-under-the-bus-029650. Retrieved December 7, 2020. 
  20. ↑ Allen, Jared (November 10, 2008). "Dems back off leadership challenges". The Hill. http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/dems-back-off-leadership-challenges-2008-11-10.html. Retrieved November 10, 2008. 
  21. ↑ Larson Applauds Nomination of Xavier Becerra to Serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services (in en). Congressman John Larson (December 7, 2020). Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  22. ↑ Landler, Mark (December 5, 2008). "In Trade Post Contender, Political Benefits for Obama" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/us/politics/05becerra.html. Retrieved December 7, 2020. 
  23. ↑ Allen, Jonathan. Rep. Becerra Offered Trade Representative Post. CQ Politics (December 2, 2008).
  24. ↑ O'Connor, Patrick. Why Becerra rebuffed Obama. Politico (December 17, 2008). Retrieved December 17, 2008.
  25. ↑ Matthews, Dylan. Hillary Clinton is choosing her vice president soon. Here are her top choices.. Vox (June 16, 2016). Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  26. ↑ (in en-US) Essential Politics: Gov. Brown delivers State of the State address, Xavier Becerra is sworn in as California's new attorney general. ISSN 0458-3035 . https://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-xavier-becerra-takes-oath-of-office-is-1485281551-htmlstory.html. Retrieved January 25, 2017. 
  27. ↑ Miller, Cheryl. Xavier Becerra Wins Four-Year Term as Attorney General (in en). The Recorder (November 7, 2018). Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  28. ↑ Campbell, Alexia Fernández (February 5, 2019). "California's attorney general gave a scathing Spanish-language rebuttal to Trump's speech" (in en). Vox. https://www.vox.com/2019/2/5/18213248/state-of-the-union-2019-spanish-rebuttal-becerra. Retrieved December 7, 2020. 
  29. ↑ Trump's Final Day in Office Marked by Nine Lawsuits from California AG (January 19, 2021)CBS News. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  30. ↑ Liptak, Adam (June 17, 2021). "Affordable Care Act Survives Latest Supreme Court Challenge" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/17/us/obamacare-supreme-court.html. Retrieved December 23, 2023. 
  31. ↑ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay; Shear, Michael D. (December 6, 2020). "Biden Picks Xavier Becerra to Lead Health and Human Services". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/06/us/politics/xavier-becerra-hhs-health-secretary.html. Retrieved December 6, 2020. 
  32. ↑ Richardson, Valerie (December 21, 2020). "Top pro-life leaders urge Senate to reject Xavier Becerra over 'anti-life, anti-religion' bias". The Washington Times. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/dec/21/xavier-becerra-pick-top-pro-life-leaders-urge-sena/. Retrieved January 5, 2021. 
  33. ↑ Senate Confirms Xavier Becerra To Head Health And Human Services (in en). NPR.org. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  34. ↑ Xavier Becerra Sworn in as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Executive Gov (March 22, 2021). Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  35. ↑ Becerra, Xavier (March 22, 2021). Statement by HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on the Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. hhs.gov. https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/03/22/statement-hhs-secretary-xavier-becerra-anniversary-affordable-care-act.html. Retrieved March 24, 2021. 
  36. ↑ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay; Savage, Charlie (June 28, 2022). "Biden's Health Secretary: 'No Magic Bullet' for Preserving Abortion Access" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/28/us/politics/biden-abortion-roe.html. Retrieved February 21, 2024. 
  37. ↑ Weintraub, Allie. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra calls post-Roe US 'a tale of two cities'. ABC News (June 23, 2023). Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  38. ↑ Biden-Harris Administration Announces More than Half of All States Have Expanded Access to 12 Months of Medicaid and CHIP Postpartum Coverage. hhs.gov (October 27, 2022). Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  39. ↑ Gill, Julian. HHS Secretary Becerra touts rise in ACA coverage among Black, Latino populations in Houston visit. The Houston Chronicle (May 5, 2025). Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  40. ↑ HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra touts prescription savings in Pittsburgh visit (in en). Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  41. ↑ FDA Provides Update on Proposal for Unified Human Foods Program, including New Model for the Office of Regulatory Affairs. Food and Drug Administration (July 5, 2023). Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  42. ↑ Leo, Leroy. CDC announces revamp plans, hires outside official for review. Reuters (April 4, 2022). Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  43. ↑ Diamond, Dan; Abutaleb, Yasmeen; Pager, Tyler (January 31, 2022). White House frustrations grow over health chief Becerra's handling of pandemic. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/01/31/becerra-hhs-pandemic-response-leadership/. Retrieved February 16, 2022. 
  44. ↑ Cancryn, Adam. Becerra in the hot seat, again, over monkeypox response. Politico (August 12, 2022). Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  45. ↑ Cadelago, Christopher. Xavier Becerra plots political future after Biden administration. Politico (April 23, 2024)Politico LLC. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  46. ↑ Singh, Maanvi (April 10, 2024). Xavier Becerra reportedly mulls cabinet exit to run for California governor. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/10/xavier-becerra-california-governor. Retrieved October 27, 2024. 
  47. ↑ "Democrat Xavier Becerra advances to general election in race for California governor" (in en). AP News. 2026-06-05. https://apnews.com/article/california-governor-election-primary-2026-98b2b4dcca6813c3ffeb9754bd09805d. Retrieved 2026-06-08. 
  48. ↑ Iyer, Kaanita; John, Arit (9 June 2026). "Republican Steve Hilton will advance to November election in California governor’s race, CNN projects" (in en). CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/09/politics/steve-hilton-republican-california-governor-advances. Retrieved 9 June 2026. 
  49. ↑ Gold, Matea (March 12, 2001). "Congressman Tests His Winning Streak". Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-mar-12-mn-36618-story.html. Retrieved December 5, 2020. 
  50. ↑ Team. TheDialogue. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  51. ↑ Opinion | Why Xavier Becerra's critics could never win by attacking his Catholicism (February 24, 2021)NBC News. Retrieved May 20, 2022.

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