Xavier Becerra

In 1992, 25th District Congressman Edward Roybal announced his retirement after 30 years in Congress. Becerra entered the race for the seat, which had been renumbered as the 30th district after redistricting.

He won the Democratic primary with a plurality of 32% of the vote.[14] In the general election, he defeated Republican nominee Morry Waksberg 58%–24%.[15]

In 1994, he won re-election to a second term with 66%,[16]%. His district was renumbered as the 31st district after the 2000 census.

After redistricting, ahead of the 2012 elections, most of Becerra's old district became the 34th district. Becerra announced he would run there; it includes his home.[17] He defeated Republican Stephen Smith 85.6% to 14.4%.

Becerra was a prominent member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, of which he served as chairman during the 105th Congress.[18] He was featured on The Colbert Report's Better Know a District on August 17, 2006.[19]

On September 29, 2008, Becerra voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 because he "wanted to see direct protections for responsible homeowners" in the bill.[20]

Becerra considered running for Democratic Caucus Vice Chair for the 110th Congress; however, he deferred to John Larson when DCCC chairman Rahm Emanuel decided to run for Caucus Chair, the position Larson had been running for. Instead, Becerra was appointed assistant to the Speaker of the House for the 110th Congress.

Before the opening of the 111th Congress, Emanuel accepted a position as White House Chief of Staff in the Obama Administration. Larson succeeded Emanuel as caucus chair, and Becerra won his bid to succeed Larson as Vice-Chair. He defeated Marcy Kaptur of Ohio by a vote of 175–67.[21]

In 2011, Becerra successfully ran for a second-term as Vice-Chair to serve during the 112th Congress.

During the 111th Congress and 112th Congress, Becerra served on several high-profile committees. On March 24, 2010, Becerra was appointed to serve on the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (often called Bowles-Simpson/Simpson-Bowles). On August 11, 2011, Becerra was selected to serve on the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (also known as the Super Committee). And on December 23, 2011, Becerra was appointed to serve on a bicameral conference committee to find bipartisan solutions on the middle class tax cuts, unemployment insurance, and the Medicare physician payment rate.

Becerra consistently expressed opposition to Social Security and Medicare cuts and tax provisions seen to benefit outsourcers.[22] He argued against the Job Protection Act and Recession Prevention Act of 2012 which would extend certain tax provisions enacted in 2001 and 2003 under G.W. Bush, on which Becerra voted against despite it passing through the House.[23] He consistently voted against budget plans that would protect tax cuts for higher income brackets by cutting Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, and certain federal services.[24] He supported legislation like the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. Please note citations 22, 23 and 24 reference statements by Xavier Becerra and therefore any editorializing is suspect.

Immigration is a pertinent issue for Becerra because of California's proximity to the border and its large number of undocumented immigrants. Becerra was a strong supporter of the DREAM Act and comprehensive immigration reform.[25] Becerra supported the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program put in place by President Obama.[26]

Becerra is strongly pro-choice and favors legal abortion up to the third trimester. On May 31, 2012, Becerra voted against H.R. 3541, the Prenatal Non-Discrimination Act (PRENDA), which would have imposed civil and criminal penalties on anyone knowingly attempting to perform a sex-selective abortion. The bill also would have required health care providers to report known or suspected violations to law enforcement, including suspicions about a woman's motives for seeking an abortion.[27] Becerra received a 100% rating from Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America in 2012.[28][29] Becerra voted in favor of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 which made the 180-day statute of limitations for filing an equal-pay lawsuit regarding pay discrimination reset with each new paycheck affected by that discriminatory action.[30][31]

• Committee on Ways and Means
  • Subcommittee on Oversight
  • Subcommittee on Health
  • Subcommittee on Social Security
• Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction

• Congressional Hispanic Caucus (Former Chair)
• Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
• Congressional Progressive Caucus

Becerra considered running for Democratic Caucus Vice Chair for the 110th Congress; however, he deferred to John Larson when Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman Rahm Emanuel decided to run for Caucus Chair, the position Larson had been running for. Instead, Becerra was appointed assistant to the Speaker of the House for the 110th Congress.

Before the opening of the 111th Congress, Emanuel accepted a position as White House Chief of Staff in the Obama Administration. Larson succeeded Emanuel as caucus chair, and Becerra won his bid to succeed Larson as Vice-Chair. He defeated Marcy Kaptur of Ohio by a vote of 175–67.[32]

In 2011, Becerra won a second-term as Vice-Chair to serve during the 112th Congress. During the 111th Congress and 112th Congress, Becerra served on several high-profile committees. On March 24, 2010, Becerra was appointed to serve on the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (often called Bowles-Simpson/Simpson-Bowles). On August 11, 2011, Becerra was selected to serve on the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (also known as the Super Committee). And on December 23, 2011, Becerra was appointed to serve on a bicameral conference committee to find bipartisan solutions on the middle class tax cuts, unemployment insurance, and the Medicare physician payment rate.

Becerra ran for mayor of Los Angeles in 2001. He finished with 6 percent of the primary vote, finishing behind businessman Steve Soboroff, Councilman Joel Wachs, former California State Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, and the eventual winner, then-City Attorney James Hahn.

On January 27, 2008, Becerra endorsed U.S. Senator Barack Obama for President.[33]

Becerra was considered for the position of U.S. Trade Representative in the administration of President-elect Obama. While it was reported that he had already accepted,[34] on December 15, 2008, he announced that he would not accept the position.[35]