December 7, 2020

San Antonio, Texas – The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) has released the following statement on the nomination by President-elect Joe Biden of The Honorable Xavier Becerra for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

As attorney general of California, Xavier Becerra has been at the forefront of legal efforts on health care, leading 20 states and the District of Columbia in a campaign to protect the Affordable Care Act (ACA) from being dismantled by attorneys general in some states. He has also been a leading voice in the Democratic Party for women’s health. Additionally, as a former senior member of the House Budget Committee until 2016, Becerra had a key role in the passage of ACA.

“The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) wholeheartedly commends President-elect Biden in his selection of California’s attorney general Xavier Becerra as his nominee for U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. “He stands to be the first Hispanic in history to lead DHHS. As a first-generation American whose parents immigrated from Mexico and as a native of the largest and likely most diverse state in the nation, Becerra is eminently suited to run the agency responsible for tackling the most devastating pandemic in modern history. He is sensitive to the suffering of all Americans and understands the plight of the neediest among us,” added Flores.

“HACU pledges its support to ensure his confirmation by the U.S. Senate when he is formally nominated,” added Flores. 

About HACU 
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, founded in 1986, represents more than 500 colleges and universities in the United States, Latin America, Spain and school districts throughout the U.S. The Association’s headquarters are located in San Antonio, Texas, with regional offices in Sacramento, California and Washington D.C. HACU is the only national association representing existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Information is available at www.hacu.net.