Rep. Becerra turns down Obama job

Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.) will remain in Congress as vice chairman
of the House Democratic Caucus and will not join the Obama
administration as its lead trade negotiator, Becerra announced Tuesday.

Becerra said working for Obama would have been “an
opportunity of a lifetime,” but decided to decline the post after
negotiations with Obama’s transition team.

{mosads}In a
statement, he said he’d still get the thrill of working for Obama “by
working by his side in the people’s House just down the street from
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

“I have invested 16 rewarding years
serving the people of Los Angeles and my country,” Becerra said. “I am
grateful for that privilege and now see a rare opportunity to push
across the goal line much of the unfinished business of America:
investing in our infrastructure and our workers, universal healthcare,
comprehensive immigration reform and scrubbing a tax code that’s out of
shape and behind the times.”

Becerra’s decision to stay in
Congress means Democrats will avoid a fight over his leadership
position, which several up-and-coming caucus members were said to be
targeting. Becerra is the only Hispanic member of the Democratic
leadership and is seen as an up-and-coming leader. He also holds a seat
on the powerful Ways and Means Committee.

The decision also
means Obama will still have to find someone to serve as his trade
representative, which could be a challenging post with a Democratic
Congress increasingly skeptical of trade.

Becerra was seen by
some as the perfect person for the job, particularly given outstanding
trade agreements with Colombia and Panama that were negotiated by the
Bush administration but are opposed by many Democrats. Becerra has won
good marks from business groups supportive of trade, as well as labor
organizations opposed to the Colombia deal.