The Senate’s ongoing work on the $ 1.9 trillion Covid de Biden relief bill and a heap of other nominees awaiting confirmation complicate Becerra’s schedule – especially if Vice President Kamala Harris needs to be available. to break the tie.
A senior adviser to the Republican Party in the Senate said the impasse in the committee’s vote resulted in a victory, because Republicans of finance Bill Cassidy and Chuck Grassley generally tend to defer to presidential nominees.
Still, save for any unexpected Democratic defection, Becerra is likely to be confirmed next week. An aide to the Democratic leadership told POLITICO that they “remain optimistic” and want to proceed with Becerra’s confirmation as quickly as possible because of the urgency to hire the health agency at the center of the government’s response to the pandemic.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Wednesday that the government “remains confidently behind” Becerra and understood that not all Cabinet officials would receive broad support.
Finance Committee Republican Mike Crapo of Idaho on Wednesday promised to work with Becerra on less controversial issues such as telehealth and Medicare finance protection, if he is confirmed. But he and other Republicans criticized Becerra’s lack of experience in health policy, arguing that he was the wrong choice to lead the extensive federal health department during a pandemic.
“Being an HHS secretary should not be a practical learning position,” said Cassidy (R-La.).
Finance President Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) Accused Republicans of “distorting reality” with respect to Becerra’s track record and warned that further delays in the nomination endanger the country’s response to Covid-19.
“This country is in the midst of a public health nightmare and the American people need to have a Senate-confirmed leader to run HHS as quickly as possible,” he said.
Before the debate and vote in Becerra, Republican lawmakers and outside conservative groups will continue to intensify pressure campaigns around the nomination.
The Heritage Foundation’s political arm launched a $ 500,000 purchase ad in West Virginia and Arizona on Wednesday, with ads focusing on Becerra’s background on abortion rights, weapons and immigration. Other anti-Becerra advertising campaigns by Sen. Tom Cotton’s PAC and anti-abortion groups Susan B. Anthony List and Students for Life are also underway.
Even if Becerra is finally confirmed, Republicans hope to make his nomination a key message in their attempt to retake the Senate in 2022. However, one of the undecided state members already targeted by the campaign, Senator Maggie Hassan (DN.H .), voted in Becerra on Wednesday, that the Republican Party advisor acknowledged “undermines our case”, that the HHS secretary may remain a significant flashpoint.
However, the longer it takes to schedule and vote on your confirmation, the longer negative ads will appear in key states.
“We are going to extract our kilo of meat for that,” said the aide.