2nd Time is Apparently the Charm

Washington, DC: In this week's Health Subcommittee hearing, Congressman Gus Bilirakis grilled Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra on a variety of pressing public health concerns, including his agency's failure to uphold the existing federal partial birth abortion ban. When Secretary Becerra testified before the same subcommittee in 2021, Bilirakis asked him about the ban. In response, Secretary Becerra falsely claimed that there was no law dealing specifically with the term partial-birth abortion. The truth is that Congress passed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act in 2003, and Becerra, who was a sitting Congressman at the time, voted on the measure. The Supreme Court subsequently upheld the law in 2007.

During this week's hearing, Secretary Becerra acknowledged the law's existence and when pressed by Bilirakis, acquiesced to working with Attorney General Garland to fulfill his oath of office by following the law.

"Apparently the second time is the charm when it comes to jogging Secretary Becerra's memory about his obligations under the law to protect the lives of unborn children," said Representative Bilirakis. "I was glad to hear he is no longer denying the law's existence and publicly committed compliance. As a staunch defender of life, I intend to hold him accountable for doing so."

To listen to the exchange between Bilirakis and Becerra, click here.