Democrats narrowly succeed in advancing Becerra's nomination to head Health and Human Services

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Washington Post

Senate Democrats narrowly succeeded Thursday in advancing Xavier Becerra’s nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) was her party’s only senator to join with every Democrat in a first procedural step by the full Senate toward confirmation. The vote was 51-48.

The outcome of a final confirmation vote, likely to take place next week, was assured earlier Thursday when the one Democrat whose support had been uncertain, Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) announced he favors the nominee. If Collins had not voted yes, Vice President Harris would have broken a 50-50 tie on the procedural vote to keep the nomination alive.

Biden’s choice of Becerra faces strong Republican opposition, with GOP lawmakers criticizing his record on abortion and support in the past for Medicare-for-all. Since Becerra’s nomination in December, he has recanted on his advocacy of a single-payer health-care system, saying he supports Biden’s goal of expanding insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act. The Senate Finance Committee deadlocked last week on advancing his nomination, requiring Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) to try to force the nomination out of committee. That was the purpose of Thursday’s vote.

The midday vote came after a biting, partisan debate on the Senate floor over Becerra’s qualifications to lead the department most pivotal to the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Republicans assailed Becerra’s views, including his support for abortion rights, as well as the fact that he is not trained as a doctor – training that few previous HHS secretaries have had. Democrats countered that, as California attorney general and 24 years as a congressman from Los Angeles, Becerra had ample health-care experience, having helped to write major health laws and, more recently, leading a coalition of Democratic attorneys general fighting to preserve the ACA from a legal challenge that now is before the Supreme Court.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/03/11/joe-biden-speech-live-updates/#link-ST7Y63TJUFHC3MCMUVTYJPMJWU

[Storybook612]

1. Thank God!

that took long enough!
Republicans will learn to hate this week in American politics because it formed the seeds of their demise. We will not forget who you are and what you refused to do!

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Republicans are melting down

They're trying to push the same old fascist-racist buttons, but it's like pushing on a string. They so mishandled the country, its politics, the economy, the pandemic, the rule of law. Thus far Joe Biden appears to have deeply studied all the issues and formulated rocket science answers. It's not just issues. It's attitude, competence, ethics. E.J. Dionne, columnist, wrote this week that the tax cut growth model of Reaganism is yielding to Bidenism - growth with policy and spending at equity problems, basically. Joe's in warp speed and Republicans are complaining about Dr. Suess and Trump's Big Lie. The train left the station and Republicans are still on the platform.