Title
Honoring and congratulating Dr. Rachel Levine upon her appointment to Assistant Health Secretary in the administration of President Joseph Biden and recognizing her outstanding contributions to the safety and health of Pennsylvanians during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Body
WHEREAS, President Joe Biden has nominated Dr. Rachel Levine to become Assistant Health Secretary in the Department of Health and Human Services; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Levine is poised to become the first openly transgender person confirmed by the Senate as a federal official; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Levine has served Pennsylvania with strength, intelligence, and compassion as Secretary of Health. Her leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic has been instrumental in protecting Pennsylvanians' health and safety during an unprecedented public health crisis; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Levine graduated from Harvard University and earned her medical degree at Tulane University. She began her medical career at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, specializing in pediatrics; and
WHEREAS, Following her move to central Pennsylvania, Dr. Levine worked at Penn State Hershey Medical Center where she founded the adolescent medical division and eating disorder treatment center; and
WHEREAS, In 2015, Governor-elect Tom Wolf nominated Dr. Levine to be Pennsylvania's Physician General. During her tenure in this role, Dr. Levine approved the use of naloxone by police officers and is credited with saving many lives of overdose patients as a result; and
WHEREAS, In 2018, Dr. Levine was confirmed as Pennsylvania's Secretary of Health. During the Covid-19 pandemic Dr. Levine's leadership has been instrumental in guiding the decision making of the Governor's office and in tracking case numbers and hospital admissions in the state. She has held daily press briefings and worked closely with FEMA and other federal agencies to secure resources to protect Pennsylvanians' health; and
WHEREAS, In January of 2021, Dr. Levine was nomi...
Click here for full text