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President-elect Joe Biden on Monday selected California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to helm the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as the country continues to battle a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The 62-year-old Becerra served 12 terms in the House of Representatives and was an ardent supporter of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) who led the defense of the law before the Supreme Court in November.

If he is able to overcome confirmation, he would be the first Latino to lead the big department as the Biden administration bats to put more people of color to front-line positions.

Biden also selected Dr. Rochelle Walensky, chief of infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, to lead the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Biden says Dr. Fauci will serve as his chief medical adviser

The chief executive also formally tapped Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), as his chief medical adviser on the virus.

Biden, in a tweet, praised Fauci for being a "tireless public servant" who has "served six presidents and led us through some of our toughest challenges."

https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1336003791183818753

He also picked Jeff Zients as coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President. Zients previously earned broad acclaim for his leadership of the 2013 HealthCare.gov tech surge and his oversight of the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ fuel-efficiency program.

“This is a team that looks like America and brings together leaders with deep experience in public health, government, and crisis management. They are experts in their fields who will restore public trust in the pandemic response by leading with facts, science, integrity, and a laser-focus on bringing COVID-19 under control,” Biden said in a statement.

Biden also picked Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, a professor at the Yale School of Medicine, to serve as the COVID-19 Equity Task Force Chair. He also chose Vivek Murthy to return for a second term as surgeon general.

The experts bring crisis management experience and scientific rigor, Biden says

The experts are tasked to advise Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on implementing a whole-of-nation response to boost testing and contact tracing to curb the spread of the COVID-19.

Biden assured that the experts “will bring the highest level of integrity, scientific rigor, and crisis-management experience to one of the toughest challenges America has ever faced.”

Democrats have pushed for the transition to the White House and usher in the new administration even as President Donald Trump continues to wage a legal battle to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential elections.

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