GOP Working To Block Biden’s Health Care Pick

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden’s pick for health secretary is facing two days of contentious Senate hearings. Republicans are portraying the Californian as unfit. But Democrats are unfazed, accusing the GOP of playing politics despite the pandemic. California’s attorney general, Xavier Becerra, will be grilled by two panels beginning Tuesday. Republicans say he’s a radical, but Democrats shrug that off as “flailing.” If confirmed, Becerra would be the first Latino to head the Department of Health and Human Services. The $1.4 trillion agency carries a broad portfolio that includes health insurance programs, drug safety and approvals, advanced medical research and the welfare of children.