Rachel Levine Becomes First Transgender Official Confirmed By The U.S. Senate
PHOTO BY TOM BRENNER-POOL/GETTY IMAGES
The Senate voted Wednesday to confirm Rachel Levine as the assistant secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services, making her the highest-ranking transgender official holding federal office.
KEY FACTS
The Senate voted 52-48 to confirm Levine with support from Democrats and moderate Republican Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).
Levine previously oversaw Pennsylvania’s response to Covid-19 as the state’s secretary of health.
During her confirmation hearing, Levine was questioned by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) about medical care for transgender youth, a line of questioning that drew criticism from LGBTQ groups because Paul compared gender-affirming surgery to “genital mutilation.”
Not only will Levine help the Biden administration’s Covid-19 response, Levine said in a statement she will do everything she can to support and advocate for transgender youth, according to the New York Times.
CRUCIAL QUOTE
“I know that each and every day you confront many difficult challenges,” she wrote. “Sadly, some of the challenges you face are from people who would seek to use your identity and circumstance as a weapon. It hurts. I know. I cannot promise you that these attacks will immediately cease, but I will do everything I can to support you and advocate for you,” Levine said.
CHIEF CRITIC
Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) said he voted against Levine because of “excessive” Covid-19 lockdowns. He also said Levine is partially to blame the state’s high nursing home death toll. “In Pennsylvania, the pandemic struck seniors in nursing homes disproportionately hard compared to other states. This was due in part to poor decisions and oversight by Dr. Levine and the Wolf administration,” Toomey said in a statement.
KEY BACKGROUND
Levine’s nomination comes as Republicans introduce as wave of bills in state legislatures across the country aimed at transgender youth. The measures seek to block transgender athletes from participating in sports corresponding with their gender identity, or ban transgender youth from getting medical treatments such as hormone therapy, puberty-blockers and surgery.