Democratic President-elect Joe Biden picked transgender Dr. Rachel Levine to serve as Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH). According to a Tuesday statement, she will make history as she is the first transgender federal official of the United States. At present, she is the Pennsylvania health secretary and psychiatry and pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine. Levine graduated from Harvard College & the Tulane University School of Medicine, while she completed her training in Adolescent and Pediatrics at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.
Biden states that Dr. Rachel Levine will bring the essential enterprise and steady leadership to go through this pandemic rather than the race, religion, zip code, sexual orientation, disability, or identity of the people. Moreover, she will surely meet the essential public health needs of Americans in this critical and uncertain moment. The historic and highly qualified nominee will help to lead the health efforts at the administration level.
Later Tuesday, Levine says that she feels proud to serve LGBTQ equity and address health issues in the state, as well as she is grateful to serve Pennsylvanians. Levine adds that she is ready for the opportunity to serve the whole American nation in the Biden administration after the confirmation of her appointment. Furthermore, Kamala Harris, Vice President-elect, praised Levine’s services and called her a remarkable public servant with the experience and knowledge to help contain the COVID-19 pandemic and improve and protect the health of the public.
Source: Web
Other Nominees of Biden Administration
Levine joins the other nominees of the Biden administration who would be going to make history after the confirmation from the Senate to serve in top roles. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra nominated to lead the Department of Health & Human Services. After the confirmation from Senate, Becerra will be the first Latino to lead the department.
In December, Joe Biden nominated Pete Buttigieg, the former South Bend, Indiana Mayor as his transportation secretary. Buttigieg will be the first LGBTQ Cabinet secretary after approval from the senate. The leading LGBTQ advocacy groups and the National Center for Transgender Equality celebrated Biden’s nomination of Levine on Tuesday. Mara Keisling, the executive director of NCTE, praised Biden for giving preference and importance to transgender people.
Moreover, Keisling said that Levine expressed her commitment to public service. A highly skilled nominee earned the chance to serve the country at the highest levels. The president of the Human Rights Campaign, Alphonso David, also praised Biden’s nominee. He tweeted that Dr. Levine has been a perfect choice for the kind and skilled leadership during one of the biggest crises in the country.
Dr. Levine has been a model for skilled and compassionate leadership during one of our nation’s greatest crises. If confirmed, she would break down barriers for our community while improving the welfare of our entire nation. https://t.co/oA14OKZumx
— Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid) January 19, 2021
Annise Parker, the former Houston Mayor, current CEO, and president of the LGBTQ Victory Institute, highly praised the nomination of Levine and termed it as groundbreaking. Further, she adds that it demonstrates the Biden administration will choose the perfect individuals to lead the nation regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
Read Also: Everything you need to know about 2021 Inauguration Day
