US Senate confirms Xavier Becerra as Health Secretary, William Burns to head CIA

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The Senate on Thursday (March 18) narrowly confirmed Mr Xavier Becerra, California's attorney-general, to be US secretary of health, the first Latino to head the department now leading the nation's Covid-19 fight.

The Upper Chamber also cleared Mr William Burns to be director of the CIA, putting one of the nation's most experienced diplomats in charge of the agency.

Mr Burns, 64, had broad bipartisan support. He was confirmed by a simple voice vote after Republican Senator Ted Cruz lifted a hold on the nomination that he had placed related to Russia's Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline with Germany.

With Mr Burns green-lighted to head the Central Intelligence Agency, President Joe Biden now has his full complement of top national security personnel in place.

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines hailed Mr Burns, a former deputy secretary of state, as an "extraordinary public servant" whose decades representing the United States have earned him respect in and outside government.

Senators voted 50 to 49, with one Republican voting yes, to confirm Mr Becerra, the 63-year-old son of Mexican immigrants, as Health Secretary in Mr Biden's Cabinet.

The Department of Health and Human Services is a sprawling agency that oversees the National Institutes of Health and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, which issues coronavirus guidelines.

Democrats portrayed Mr Becerra as a healthcare champion who will improve conditions, coverage and care for all Americans.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said confirmation "should not have taken this long", but Republicans sought to derail the nomination from the moment Mr Biden announced his choice.

He noted how Republicans complained that Mr Becerra has no direct experience as a medical professional, even though they voted to confirm Mr Alex Azar, a pharmaceutical executive who "raised drug prices and tried to undermine our nation's health law", as the previous HHS chief.

Republicans also claimed Mr Becerra was too liberal and radical for the job and would seek to strip away private health insurance for millions.

"Becerra has made a career out of promoting far-left priorities like free healthcare for illegal immigrants, open borders & no restrictions on abortion," Senator Steve Daines tweeted.

After Mr Becerra's confirmation, the Senate took up the nomination of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to head the Department of Labour.

If confirmed, Mr Schumer said, Mr Walsh would be the final Cabinet secretary joining Mr Biden's team.

Two positions with Cabinet-level status - director of the Office of Management and Budget, and presidential science adviser - remain to be filled.

Mr Biden had named Ms Neera Tanden, who heads a progressive think tank, to lead the OMB.

But Republicans derailed her nomination, the only Cabinet casualty so far for the Democratic president.