President-elect Joe Biden nominated Dr. Rachel Levine, a transgender health official in Pennsylvania, on Tuesday to serve as assistant Health and Human Services secretary.
In the announcement, Biden praised Levine for the “steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic.” He also noted that Levine is “a historic and deeply qualified choice to help lead our administration’s health efforts” and assist abortion extremist Health Secretary Xavier Becerra.
Before the pandemic, the GOP-controlled Senate in Pennsylvania confirmed Levine to multiple positions including secretary of health. Despite these confirmations, Levine has been criticized for failing to properly address the COVID-19 pandemic.
During massive outbreaks in nursing homes and assisted care facilities across the states, Levine’s own mother was removed from a personal care home, a decision that received criticism from many people, including those who still did not have access to their family members who remained vulnerable inside similar facilities.
Levine also received criticism after telling the press in November that people in Pennsylvania would likely have to wear masks through 2021, even after the vaccine rollout.
“We anticipate we’re going to be rolling this out through the winter and then into the spring and into the summer,” Levine told Penn Live. “It could take a significant amount of time to immunize everyone in Pennsylvania. I anticipate we’re going to be wearing masks well into 2021, maybe to the end of 2021.”
Choosing Levine as the first transgender federal official in the U.S. signals Biden’s commitment to an LGBT agenda push during his time in office. Not only did he pledge to sign the Equality Act to combat the “epidemic” of violence “against transgender and gender non-conforming people,” but the president-elect has also promised to roll back President Donald Trump’s executive orders concerning transgenderism.
“I will flat out just change the law, eliminate those executive orders. There should be zero discrimination,” Biden said at a town hall in October, speaking to a mother concerned about her 8-year-old’s ability to live as transgender.
Biden’s current agenda for the LGBT community, which has earned the approval of soon-to-be Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, opens the door for the incoming administration to force schools that receive federal funding to accommodate students who want to use bathrooms and locker rooms and play sports with students of the opposite sex.
“Joe Biden said that on his first day of office, he will give transgender students access to sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms in accordance with their gender identity in all federally funded schools,” a reporter told Schumer. “Do you think he has the ability to do this and do you agree with his decision?”
“I agree with the decision and I know he’ll check things out thoroughly, legally,” Schumer replied.
