President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday several appointments to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including one former Democratic state representative who has sponsored legislation that would have declared racism a public health crisis.
He appointed former Ohio state Rep. Janine Boyd (D) to be director of HHS Region 5, which covers Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Boyd has been in the Ohio legislature since 2014, but just resigned this month ahead of her appointment.
“Janine R. Boyd is a pediatric speech and language pathologist turned advocate and state legislator. With almost two decades of experience in health and human services advocacy and policy as a government affairs professional, Boyd has been actively involved in Ohio’s state budget process and identifying federal opportunities on behalf of programs that serve the most vulnerable citizens,” the White House said.
In 2020, Boyd easily won re-election to represent Ohio House District 9, defeating her Republican opponent by more than 40,000 votes and taking nearly 87% of the vote.
During her time as a state representative, Boyd sponsored legislation that would have made racism a public health crisis in Ohio. She was one of the many Democratic sponsors of HCR6, introduced in March 2021, which would “declare racism a public health crisis.”
The bill discussed systemic racism and advocated for the creation of a “working group” to “support local, state, regional, and federal initiatives that advance efforts to dismantle systematic racism and mitigate exposure to adverse childhood experiences and trauma; incorporate educational efforts to address and dismantle racism and to expand understanding of racism and how racism affects individual and population health.”
It also advocated for all assembly members to be “committed to reviewing all portions of the Revised Code with a racial equity lens.”
She has also sponsored legislation dealing with police body cams, making face coverings required for House sessions, criminal justice, election ballot drop boxes, and bail laws.
The announcement from the White House also highlighted Boyd’s commitment to “the expansion of human rights laws to increase protections for members of the LGBT+ community.”
In December 2020, Boyd provided testimony on a bill that would make October 11 officially known as “Coming out Day.”
“By designating this day in the Ohio Revised Code it shows that the General Assembly takes the position that coming out is one of the most courageous acts any LGBTQ+ person makes; that courage counters bigotry, ignorance and fear; and it is an integral part of our collective, continued progress towards full equality,” she said at the time.
She also added, “There are many decisions, tasks, and daily exchanges that heterosexual individuals take for granted such as, holding hand with your partner-a simple expression of love and belonging.”
The White House championed its picks for HHS saying that they would be important to helping those impacted by COVID-19 and dealing with climate change.
“These regional appointees will be critical to the President’s efforts to rebuild communities most impacted by the pandemic, the economic recovery, and climate change,” the White House said of the appointments, adding that the individuals he chose were consistent with his “commitment to building an administration that looks like America.”
The appointments come after the Biden administration announced a “total transformation of government” through “equity action plans” earlier this month.