February 22, 2021

On February 23, 2021, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will hold a full hearing on the Nomination of Xavier Becerra to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services. MPAC's letter of recommendation can be found below, or available for download here.

Dear Esteemed Member of the Senate HELP Committee,

Over the past 30 years, the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) has built a reputation of being a dynamic and trusted American Muslim voice for policymakers, opinion shapers, and community organizers across the country.

In MPAC’s efforts to improve public understanding and policies that impact American Muslims, we have had the honor of engaging with Mr. Xavier Becerra on numerous occasions. This is why we are conveying our strong recommendation supporting his confirmation as the Secretary for Health and Human Services by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Mr. Becerra has a wealth of accolades that deem him worthy of receiving this confirmation, but we would like to take a moment to share how he has continued to be an ally for minority populations, especially American Muslims.

While serving as California Attorney General for the duration of the Trump administration, Mr. Becerra became a leading force in opposition to the most injurious anti-immigrant policies, including the Muslim Ban.

Mr. Becerra has also been a principled supporter of American Muslims throughout his distinguished career. On the evening of September 11, following the tragic attacks from earlier that day, he called the MPAC office and volunteered his efforts in the event that we needed support. On a day where so many were ignorant in their reactions towards American Muslims, Mr. Becerra served his role as a State Representative in the best of ways by ensuring members of his constituency felt safe and welcome in their home state.

In 2015, we honored Mr. Becerra with our Empowering Voices award for his partnership to combat Islamophobia and anti-Muslim bigotry. Mr. Becerra continues to be commended for his work to uplift Americans of all backgrounds by groups like the ACLU and the Lawyers Commission for Civil Rights, where he was the recipient of the 2020 MLK award.

Mr. Becerra’s allegiance to duty is remarkable, and we ask the HELP Committee to recognize that his values align with those that will serve our nation well in times of tribulation, like that which we are currently facing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

We kindly request that you vote to confirm Mr. Becerra to serve as the Secretary for HHS, and welcome any questions you may have.

In Gratitude,

Salam Al-Marayati
President, MPAC