California Attorney General Xavier Becerra refused to answer questions about his radical pro-abortion views during his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday and could not name even one abortion restriction he could support.
Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) asked Becerra, President Joe Biden’s nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), whether he supported any restriction whatsoever on abortions, including those intended to end the life of babies with a prenatal disability diagnosis of Down syndrome or partial-birth abortions.
Today, I asked @HHSGov nominee Xavier Becerra if he supported any kind of restriction on abortion, including restrictions on the lethal discrimination of babies with Down syndrome or partial-birth abortion.
He refused to answer. pic.twitter.com/vwgZIqe37t
— Steve Daines (@SteveDaines) February 24, 2021
“Senator, let me try to respond this way,” Becerra said.
“I have tried to make sure on this important issue for so many people, where oftentimes again we have different views, but deeply held views, that I have tried to make sure that I am abiding by the law,” he continued to say. “Because whether it’s a particular restriction, or whether it’s the whole idea of abortion, whether we agree or not, we have to come to some conclusion, and that’s where the law gives– “
“But, to be clear,” Daines interrupted. “Is there any line you would draw? Is there just one – just one restriction that relates to abortion that you might support?”
Becerra still would not respond to Daines’ question, but, instead, attempted to distract the senator with references to his Catholic faith, including that his mother “blessed” him before he left for his confirmation hearing and that she “prays the rosary every day” and “said a prayer and included me in that prayer.”
Daines again pressed Becerra on the issue of unborn babies and “the battle for those who don’t have a voice.”
“You didn’t answer the question,” the senator asserted. “Even one, even one restriction?”
“How about a ban on the lethal discrimination of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome?” he suggested.
Becerra began, “Senator, if I can simply say to you that I respect the different views that are out there, but what’s important is to make sure that–”
“But, if you’re confirmed, you’re going to be the head of HHS!” Daines exclaimed. “That’s a huge organization, it has profound impact on our society! How about a ban on sex-selective abortion?”
Once again, Becerra responded, “I respect those that take a particular view. My job will be to make sure I am following the law.”
Becerra would also not say he would support a ban on partial-birth abortion.
During the first day of his confirmation hearing Tuesday, Sen. Mitt Romney told Becerra that “on partial-birth abortion, it sounds like we are not going to reach common ground there.”
Roger Severino of the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) said in a statement Becerra’s confirmation hearing was “devastating” for his nomination.
The former Trump administration HHS Office for Civil Rights director added the hearing “exposed him as well qualified to lead Planned Parenthood but unqualified to be America’s top public health official during a pandemic.”
“He failed to explain his never-ending obsession with illegally forcing nuns to buy contraceptive and abortion coverage and could not name a single abortion restriction he would ever support,” said Severino, who now directs EPPC’s HHS Accountability Project. “America needs an expert in public health at HHS, certainly not a divisive abortion extremist.”
National pro-life leader Kristan Hawkins also reacted to Becerra’s remarks in a statement sent to Breitbart News.
“If you can’t name ANY limits for abortion, you’re too radical to run the nation’s health care,” said the Students for Life Action president. She continued:
During two days of hearings, Xavier Becerra has talked a lot about finding common cause with pro-life Americans, but his history indicates that given the opportunity, he chooses to support the most extreme elements of the abortion lobby. It’s more important than ever for Americans to visit StopBecerra.com and ask their Senators to vote NO on Becerra.
“While Becerra kept repeating his talking points about finding common ground, he didn’t look for it when he had power in other offices,” Hawkins noted.
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