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 nominated by President-elect Joe Biden to act as Assistant Health Secretary. She will be the first openly transgender person to serve as a federal official. Dr. Levine is a longtime advocate from LGBT issues, and her representation of the trans community on a federal level is deeply meaningful; and
WHEREAS, In addition to her recent experiences in high level leadership, Dr. Levine is an accomplished regional and international speaker, and author on the opioid crisis, medical marijuana, adolescent medicine, eating disorders, and LGBT medicine; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia thanks Dr. Levine for her tireless service to the people of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the City Council of Philadelphia, Hereby honors and congratulates Dr. Rachel Levine upon her appointment to Assistant Health Secretary in the administration of President Joseph Biden and recognizes her outstanding contributions to the safety and health of Pennsylvanians during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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