FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 27, 2021
CONTACT:
Scout, MA, PhD (he/him)
Executive Director, National LGBT Cancer Network
401.267.8337
scout@cancer-network.org
Stephen Jiwanmall (he/him)
Communications Manager, Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center
850.445.1372
Stephen@bradburysullivancenter.org
Hundreds of Organizations Back Dr. Rachel Levine’s Nomination to be Assistant Secretary of Health
More than 350 groups have signed a letter in support of President Biden’s nominee.
Following the historic nomination of Dr. Rachel Levine by the Biden Administration for Assistant Secretary of Health, hundreds of organizations across the United States have joined together to urge the U.S. Senate to swiftly confirm her to this position.
More than 350 organizations from 42 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, led by the National LGBT Cancer Network, Fenway Health, and Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania, have signed a letter detailing Dr. Levine’s impeccable credentials and preparedness to serve as Assistant Secretary of Health. Additionally, Dr. Levine would make history as the first transgender person ever confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The letter touts her as “the best possible candidate.” To view the full letter, visit bit.ly/LevineSupportLetter .
Dr. Levine is the current Secretary of Health for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as the president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO). She previously served as Physician General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. She has been confirmed, with overwhelming bipartisan support, three times by the Pennsylvania State Senate, and she has managed Pennsylvania’s response to the opioid crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Biden-Harris Administration has appointed the most diverse group of experts to lead government agencies in history,” said Sean Cahill, PhD, Director of Health Policy Research at The Fenway Institute. “As Secretary of Health for the sixth most populous state in the country, Dr. Levine routinely works with the U.S. Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary of Health’s office building bridges between state public health policies and federal actions. This experience will be invaluable in the coming months, when there will be an urgent need for coordinating federal COVID-19 vaccination and prevention efforts with state-level responses.”
“As another trans leader in public health, I am thrilled to see such a revered member of my own community be this successful, yet it is my greatest wish that the U.S. Senate bases its approval on her qualifications,” said Scout, executive director of the National LGBT Cancer Network. “The fact that she is trans is an inspiration for the many of us who have never had a role model this senior before. The fact that she is supremely qualified means her trans status, while historic and inspirational, should not be a factor in her confirmation.”
“We strongly encourage Dr. Levine’s swift confirmation by the U.S. Senate,” said Adrian Shanker, executive director of Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center. “Her leadership in Harrisburg has saved countless lives from both the opioid epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a dedicated public servant, a public health expert, and a compassionate leader who is well-prepared to go to Washington to improve public health for the American people.”
An earlier version of this letter was sent by a coalition of LGBTQ+ organizations operating as the Federal LGBTQI Policy Roundtable to the Biden transition team. The new letter will remain open to organizational sign-ons through the confirmation process and can be accessed at bit.ly/levine4ash .
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About Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center:
Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center provides arts, health, youth, and pride programs to strengthen and support the LGBTQ+ community across the Greater Lehigh Valley. Learn more at bradburysullivancenter.org .
About National LGBT Cancer Network:
The National LGBT Cancer Network works to improve the lives of LGBTQI+ cancer survivors and those at risk by educating the LGBTQI+ communities about our increased cancer risks; training health care providers; and advocating for LGBTQI+ engagement in mainstream cancer organizations. We are home to one of eight CDC funded national tobacco and cancer disparity networks. Learn more at cancer-network.org/ .
