Xavier Becerra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Xavier Becerra
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Official portrait, 2021
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| 25th United States Secretary of Health and Human Services | |
| In office March 19, 2021 – January 20, 2025 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Deputy | Andrea Palm |
| Preceded by | Alex Azar |
| Succeeded by | Robert F. Kennedy Jr. |
| 33rd Attorney General of California | |
| In office January 24, 2017 – March 18, 2021 |
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| Governor | Jerry Brown Gavin Newsom |
| Preceded by | Kamala Harris |
| Succeeded by | Rob Bonta |
| Chair of the House Democratic Caucus | |
| In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2017 |
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| Deputy | Joe Crowley |
| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | John Larson |
| Succeeded by | Joe Crowley |
| Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus | |
| In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2013 |
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| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Daniel Larson |
| Succeeded by | Joe Crowley |
| House Democratic Assistant to the Leader | |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009 |
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| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | John Spratt |
| Succeeded by | Chris Van Hollen |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California |
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| In office January 3, 1993 – January 24, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Edward Roybal (redistricted) |
| Succeeded by | Jimmy Gomez |
| Constituency | 30th district (1993–2003) 31st district (2003–2013) 34th district (2013–2017) |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 59th district |
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| In office December 3, 1990 – December 3, 1992 |
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| Preceded by | Charles Calderon |
| Succeeded by | Dick Mountjoy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 26, 1958 Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Carolina Reyes |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Stanford University (BA, JD) |
Xavier Becerra (pronounced HAH-vee-AIR bih-SERR-uh; born January 26, 1958) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as the 25th United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, a top government job, from 2021 to 2025. In this role, he helped manage important health programs for the country. He was the first Latino person to hold this position.
Before that, Becerra was the Attorney General of California, the state's chief lawyer, from 2017 to 2021. He also spent many years in the United States House of Representatives, representing parts of downtown Los Angeles in Congress from 1993 to 2017. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Born in Sacramento, California, Becerra went to Stanford University. He earned his law degree from Stanford Law School. He worked as a lawyer helping people with mental health issues. Later, he returned to California to work in state government. He was a deputy attorney general for California before being elected to the California State Assembly.
Becerra was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992. He represented different areas of California during his time in Congress. He led the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and later became the Chairman of the U.S. House Democratic Caucus.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Xavier Becerra was born in Sacramento, California, on January 26, 1958. His parents, Maria Teresa and Manuel Guerrero Becerra, worked hard to support their family. His father grew up in Tijuana, Mexico, and his mother was from Guadalajara, Mexico.
As a child, Becerra lived in a small, one-room apartment with his three sisters. He graduated from C.K. McClatchy High School in Sacramento in 1976. He then studied abroad in Spain at the University of Salamanca from 1978 to 1979. In 1980, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Stanford University. He was the first person in his family to graduate from college. He then earned his law degree, called a Juris Doctor, from Stanford Law School in 1984. He became a licensed lawyer in California in 1985.
Early Career Steps
Becerra started his career as a lawyer. He worked for the Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts. There, he helped people who had mental health conditions.
In 1986, Becerra moved back to California. He became an assistant to Art Torres, a Democratic State Senator from Los Angeles. From 1987 to 1990, he worked as a deputy attorney general. This job was in the California Department of Justice under Attorney General John Van de Kamp.
After State Assemblyman Charles Calderon decided to run for a different office, Becerra ran for his seat. He won the election for the California State Assembly. He served one term, from 1990 to 1992, representing California's 59th district. As a state lawmaker, Becerra worked on laws to improve public safety.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives (1993–2017)
Becoming a Congressman
In 1992, Congressman Edward Roybal decided to retire after 30 years. Xavier Becerra ran for his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He won the election and began representing California's 30th district. He was re-elected many times.
Over the years, his district numbers changed due to population shifts. He represented California's 30th district (1993–2003), then the 31st district (2003–2013), and finally the 34th district (2013–2017).
Key Roles and Work
Becerra was an important member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. He even served as its chairman from 1997 to 1999. This group works on issues important to Hispanic communities.
He also held leadership roles within the Democratic Party in the House. He was the Vice Chairman from 2009 to 2013. Later, he became the Chairman of the U.S. House Democratic Caucus from 2013 to 2017.
Becerra worked on several important committees. He was part of the United States Congress Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. This committee looked for ways to reduce the national debt. He also served on the United States House Committee on Ways and Means. This committee handles tax laws and other financial matters. He was the first Latino to be on this important committee.
Committees and Groups
- Committee on Ways and Means
- Subcommittee on Health
- Subcommittee on Social Security
- Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus (Former Chair)
- Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
Other Political Interests
Running for Los Angeles Mayor
In 2001, Xavier Becerra ran for mayor of Los Angeles. He was one of several candidates in the election. He did not win, but it showed his interest in leading at the city level.
Considered for National Roles
Becerra was considered for several high-level jobs in the federal government. In 2008, he was thought of for a trade position in President-elect Obama's team. He decided not to take that job.
In 2016, he was on the list to be the running mate for Hillary Clinton. She was the Democratic candidate for president. Senator Tim Kaine was chosen instead.
When Joe Biden was becoming president in 2020, Becerra was considered for two Cabinet jobs. These were Secretary of Homeland Security and Attorney General.
California Governor Speculation
In 2024, there was talk that Becerra might run for Governor of California in 2026. The current governor, Gavin Newsom, cannot run again. Becerra had said he missed being California's attorney general.
California Attorney General (2017–2021)
In December 2016, Governor Jerry Brown asked Becerra to be the Attorney General of California. Becerra accepted the offer. The California Legislature approved him, and he took office on January 24, 2017. He followed Kamala Harris, who had been elected to the U.S. Senate. Becerra was the first Latino to serve as California's attorney general. In 2018, he was elected to a full four-year term.
As Attorney General, Becerra often challenged policies from the Trump administration. These policies would have greatly affected California. He also gave the Democratic response in Spanish to President Trump's 2019 State of the Union speech.
During his time as California's attorney general, Becerra filed many lawsuits against the Trump administration. These lawsuits often focused on protecting the environment and healthcare. He successfully defended important national policies. These included the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). He argued these cases before the United States Supreme Court.
Protecting Natural Resources
Stopping Shasta Dam Expansion
In 2019, Becerra won a legal case to stop a project to raise the Shasta Dam. He argued that expanding the dam would harm the McCloud River. Studies showed it would flood more of the river and hurt fish and wildlife. It would also cover important sites for the Winnemem Wintu Tribe.
Fighting Tijuana River Pollution
In 2018, Becerra filed a lawsuit about pollution in the Tijuana River. Over 12 million gallons of dirty wastewater flowed into California. This pollution contained harmful chemicals and bacteria. It was a big risk to people's health and the environment.
Saving Redwood City Salt Ponds
In 2020, Becerra won a case to protect the Redwood City Salt Ponds. These ponds are very important for the San Francisco Bay's ecosystem. The court's decision protected these areas from being built on. Efforts are also being made to turn the ponds back into salt marshes and wetlands. This helps the Bay's health and protects against rising sea levels.
Protecting Endangered Species
In 2020, Becerra sued the Trump administration. He argued that the federal government was not doing enough to protect endangered species. These species live in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. He said that water operations were harming vulnerable animals and their homes. He won a preliminary order to stop expanding water export operations in the Central Valley.
Secretary of Health and Human Services (2021–2025)
Becoming Secretary
After Joe Biden won the presidential election in 2020, he chose Becerra for a top job. Biden nominated him to be the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services. The Senate approved his nomination by a very close vote on March 18, 2021. He was sworn in as the new secretary on March 22, 2021.
Work as Secretary
As Secretary of Health and Human Services, Becerra quickly started working on important health issues. He supported the Affordable Care Act, a law that helps people get health insurance. He encouraged more people to sign up for its health care programs. He also took office during the COVID-19 pandemic. His department was in charge of helping the American public deal with the pandemic.
Becerra worked hard to protect reproductive rights across the country. He also helped expand health coverage for new mothers through Medicaid and CHIP. He focused on making sure everyone had fair access to health tools, especially during the pandemic. His main goals included lowering healthcare costs, supporting women's health, and closing gaps in who can get healthcare.
Medicare Drug Price Negotiations
Becerra played a key role in a new program to lower drug prices for seniors. This program, part of the Inflation Reduction Act, allows the government to negotiate drug prices.
In 2023, his department negotiated prices for 10 expensive drugs. These included medicines for blood clots and diabetes. The new, lower prices will start in 2026. This is expected to save Medicare billions of dollars. Becerra also announced that 15 more drugs would be negotiated in 2025. These drugs treat conditions like cancer, diabetes, and asthma.
Other Important Work
Becerra also oversaw big changes in parts of his department. This included changes at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Personal Life
Xavier Becerra is married to Carolina Reyes, who is a doctor. They have three daughters. He is a member of the Inter-American Dialogue, a group that discusses issues in the Americas. Becerra is Roman Catholic.
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