Pro-lifers warn against former Vice President Joe Biden's selection of former Congressman Xavier Becerra to be the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary.
According to a report from Christian Headlines, leaders of pro-life activities label Becerra as an abortion extremist after receiving the highest rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America, a 2.5M-member organization fighting since 1969 for American reproductive freedom.
NARAL Pro Choice America reviews the initiatives and efforts of lawmakers and tracks this in their website. Each lawmaker is assessed and their voting record in so far as pro-choice programs are concerned are listed down and ranked.
Becera received 100% ranking in 2016 from NARAL Pro Choice America for the eight voting records. In particular, these are the (1) Attack on Planned Parenthood: Special investigation Committee Funding (12/1/16), (2) Anti-Choice Refusal: Conscience Protection Act (7/13/16), (3) Anti-Choice Refusal: D.C. Reproductive-Health Non-Discrimination Law (7/7/16), (4) Federal Employees' Health Insurance (7/6/16), (5) Restriction on Contraception: Zika Response (6/23/16), (6) Anti-Choice Refusal: Taxpayer-Funded Discrimination (5/25/16), (7) Attack on Planned Parenthood: Veto Override (2/2/16), and (8) Attack on Planned Parenthood: One-Year Funding Ban (1/6/16).
In 2017, Becerra brought charges against the Center for Medical Progress pro-life representatives who exposed videos against Planned Parenthood showing a discussion among its executives for the sale of fetal parts. He was the attorney general of California at that time.
The said charges angered pro-lifers then for receiving legal scrutiny instead of Planned Parenthood, as per Christian Headlines.
In line with this move of Biden, the Susan B. Anthony List expressed their stand against it through Twitter.
"With his choice of California Attorney General Xavier Becerra for HHS Secretary, Joe Biden has proven yet again he is an extremist on abortion," began the Susan B. Anthony List of their three-part tweet.
With his choice of California Attorney General Xavier Becerra for HHS Secretary, Joe Biden has proven yet again he is an extremist on abortion@marjoriesba (1/3)https://t.co/oUK2LkoRMJ
"” Susan B. Anthony List (@SBAList) December 7, 2020
This was immediately followed by another tweet that enlists three main reasons why they find Becerra an abortion extremist.
"Becerra's record: continued persecution (started by predecessor Kamala Harris) of citizen journalists who exposed Planned Parenthood's role in baby parts trafficking, tried to force pro-life pregnancy centers to refer for abortion, and voted for partial birth abortion," the non-profit organization continued.
"We call on Republican senators to stand firm and stop this unacceptable nomination from going forward," ended the Susan B. Anthony List tweet on Sunday, December 6.
Senator Thomas Bryant Cotton responded to the call of Susan B. Anthony List on twitter saying, "Xavier Becerra spent his career attacking pro-life Americans and tried to force crisis pregnancy centers to advertise abortions."
"He's been a disaster in California and he is unqualified to lead HHS. I'll be voting no, and Becerra should be rejected by the Senate," Cotton ended his tweet that actually accompanied the first of Susan B. Anthony List's tweets.
The Christian Headlines also reported other pro-life leaders such as Lila Rose of Live Action and Albert Mohler of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary alarmed by Biden's choice of Becerra.
The report cited four reasons why pro-lifers are against Becerra for the said post, which included voting against the partial-abortion ban, "leading multi-state coalitions in lawsuit against pro-life laws," defending the Reproductive Freedom, Accountability, Comprehensive Care, and Transparency Act in court, and "leading a multi-state colation to try and force" the integration in employees' insurance plans of faith-based groups the coverage for birth control and abortion-causing drugs.
