February 22, 2021
Washington, DC
Conservatives oppose the confirmation of Xavier Becerra to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
No federal agency has more influence over policies relating to the sanctity of life, human dignity, and religious liberty than HHS. Becerra has a troubling record on all of these fronts. He is an extremist nominee who will carry the agendas of liberal dark money groups to his administration post if confirmed.
As a former Member of Congress, Becerra voted against a ban on partial-birth abortion, against making it a crime to hurt an unborn child during the perpetration of another crime, and against efforts to bar minors from being driven across state lines for an abortion without parental consent. He has consistently voted in favor of taxpayer-funded abortions.
Later, as California’s attorney general, he repeatedly prosecuted journalist and pro-life activist David Daleiden on behalf of Planned Parenthood. Becerra led lawsuits against the Trump administration, calling it a “gag order” when an HHS rule was revised to bar federally funded contraceptive clinics and doctors from encouraging abortion or providing abortion referrals. Even after losing the case, Becerra vowed to “continue to fight for comprehensive reproductive healthcare, including safe and legal abortion.”
Becerra also spent years using the courts to torment an order of Catholic nuns, the Little Sisters of the Poor, to try and force them to pay for abortifacients against their religious faith. He carried out similar measures in California, where he sued the federal government to protect a California regulation forcing churches to pay for abortions in their health care plans.
Such actions are consistent with Becerra’s distorted view of religious liberty, which he has stated he believes is “for the individual,” and that organizations or institutions staking a claim to religious liberty is “bootstrapping the First Amendment.” Becerra’s advocated for one-sided restrictions prohibiting churches from meeting indoors, while grocery and liquor stores remained open. The Supreme Court struck down these restrictions in December.
Becerra has also displayed dubious judgment. As Attorney General of California, he was accused multiple times of using his office to tip the scales in favor of Planned Parenthood and other political allies. In 2020, the state district attorneys faulted him for failing to do more to stop a massive fraud in California’s unemployment benefits.
Becerra also focused on “environmental justice” as California’s Attorney General, filing dozens of lawsuits opposing the Trump administration’s de-regulatory agenda regarding climate and energy. In California, he created an environmental justice bureau – not to focus on the state’s environmental concerns, but to focus the “unequal” effect pollution and environmental damage on certain vulnerable communities. President Biden has indicated that each executive agency will focus on climate regardless of statutory remit, and Becerra is thus likely to engage an aggressive climate agenda outside of the purview of HHS.
Becerra has shown neither the judgment, character, or respect for human life necessary to lead the agency with such influence over the foundational rights of all Americans. Under his watch, we believe HHS – an agency that should protect human life, dignity, and enshrine the values of religious liberty – would be weaponized toward partisan and destructive ends.
For all these reasons, we urge the Senate to firmly reject his confirmation.
| The Honorable Edwin Meese III Attorney General President Ronald Reagan (1985-1988) |
Alfred S. Regnery Chairman, Conservative Action Project President, Republic Book Publishers |
| Tom McClusky President March for Life Action |
The Honorable Morton C. Blackwell President The Leadership Institute |
| The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell Chairman Constitutional Congress, Inc. |
The Honorable David McIntosh President Club for Growth |
| Scott T. Parkinson VP for Government Affairs Club for Growth |
Kelly J. Shackelford, Esq. Chairman, CNP Action, Inc. President and CEO, First Liberty Institute |
| L. Brent Bozell, III Founder and President Media Research Center |
Jenny Beth Martin Chairman Tea Party Patriots Citizen Fund |
| The Honorable Jim DeMint Chairman, Conservative Partnership Institute Member, US Senate (SC 2005-2013) |
Ed Corrigan Vice Chairman, Conservative Action Project President & CEO, Conservative Partnership Institute |
| Rachel Bovard Senior Director of Policy Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI) |
Myron Ebell Director, Center for Energy and Environment Competitive Enterprise Institute |
| William L. Walton President Council for National Policy |
The Honorable T. Kenneth Cribb, Jr. Chief Domestic Advisor President Ronald Reagan (1987-1988) |
| Penny Y. Nance President & CEO Concerned Women for America |
Lisa B. Nelson |
| The Honorable Tony Perkins President Family Research Council |
Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin (Ret.) Executive Vice President Family Research Council |
| Daniel Schneider Executive Director American Conservative Union |
Floyd Brown Chairman Western Center for Journalism |
| Alan E. Sears Founder Alliance Defending Freedom |
The Honorable George K. Rasley Jr. Managing Editor ConservativeHQ.com |
| Justin Danhof General Counsel National Center for Public Policy Research |
Anne Schlafly Cori Chairman Eagle Forum |
| David N. Bossie President Citizens United |
Dr. Richard Lee President and CEO There’s Hope America |
| The Honorable Gary L. Bauer President American Values |
Mike Davis Founder and President Article III Project (A3P) |
| Nancy Schulze Founder, President RCW Speakers |
Kent Glesener President & CEO Paradigm Construction & Engineering, Inc. |
| Christie Glesener President Shofar International Foundation |
Craig Shirley Reagan Biographer Presidential Historian |
| Steve Berger Founding Pastor Grace Chapel |
Don Woodsmall Principal Arromid, LLC |
| Eaton Hopkins President Liberty Surgical |
Seton Motley President Less Government |
| Gary Marx President The Concord Fund |
C. Preston Noell III President Tradition, Family, Property, Inc. |
| Twila Brase, RN, PHN President and Co-founder Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom |
Jay Mount President MDS Communications Corporation |
| Chad Connelly President Faith Wins |
The Honorable Peter J. Thomas Chairman The Conservative Caucus |
| William W. Pascoe, III Board Member Tea Party Patriots Action |
Judson Phillips Founder Tea Party Nation |
| Jack Park Conservative Activist and Donor Law Offices of Jack Park |
Elaine Donnelly President Center for Military Readiness |
| The Honorable Mike Hill Former Member Florida State House |
Mario Navarro da Costa Director, Washington Bureau Tradition, Family, Property |
| David Haas President Morrison Inc. |
Saulius “Saul” Anuzis President 60 Plus Association |
| James L. Martin Founder/Chairman 60 Plus Association |
Andresen Blom President Hawaiian Values |
| Amapola Hansberger Founder and President Legal Immigrants for America |
Kay R. Daly President Coalition for a Fair Judiciary |
| Ron Pearson Executive Director Conservative Victory Fund |
Joan Holt Lindsey President Lindsey Communications |
| Paul Gessing President Rio Grande Foundation |
Wade Kirby Director of Development GSWA |
| Dr. Richard Rounsavelle Trustee MRC |
Penna Dexter Co-host Point of View Radio |
| Tim Throckmorton President Lifepointe Ministries |
Curt Levey President Committee for Justice |
| Ashley Baker Director of Public Policy Committee for Justice |
All organizations listed for IDENTIFICATION purposes only.
