Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Statement from Rep. Dan Frankel on HHS alteration of Dr. Rachel Levine’s portrait

Statement from Rep. Dan Frankel on HHS alteration of Dr. Rachel Levine’s portrait

Rep. Dan B. Frankel    December 9, 2025 | 11:38 AM

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 9 – State Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, today released the following statement:

“The decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to strip the correct, legally recognized name of Adm. Rachel Levine from her official portrait is an act of political malice,” Frankel said. “It has no basis in policy, accuracy, or respect for public service. It is an attempt to rewrite history in order to marginalize a person whose record is unimpeachable.

“Adm. Levine’s portrait has hung among other former leaders of the U.S. Public Health Service since 2021, reflecting her groundbreaking role as the first openly transgender person confirmed by the U.S. Senate to a four-star federal post. She earned that recognition through decades of expertise and leadership. Nothing done in a hallway at HHS can take that away.

“HHS leaders have claimed this change reflects “biological reality” and an ideological shift. In truth, it reflects an effort to demean a former official simply because of who she is. It does nothing to strengthen public health, and everything to weaken the credibility of the institution making the change.

“Adm. Levine’s contributions to Pennsylvania and the nation stand on their own. Attempts to erase her identity or distort her legacy will fail, because the facts are fixed: she served with distinction, advanced critical public health initiatives, and made history doing so.

“I urge HHS to reverse this action immediately and restore the integrity of its own historical record. Institutions must aspire to fairness and accuracy, not vindictive revisionism.”

###