http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/12/surgeon-general-senate-confirmation-vivek-murthy/383763/


Finally, a New Surgeon General
One year, one month, and two days after his selection, the Senate confirmed Vivek Murthy to a post that had been vacant since July.
Russell Berman Dec 15 2014, 1:16 PM ET

Charles Dharapak/AP

Updated December 15, 7:08 p.m.

President Obama nominated Vivek Murthy to be U.S. surgeon general on November 13, 2013. The Senate health committee signed off on him in February. On Monday, one year, one month, and two days after his selection, the Senate voted to confirm him to a post that had been vacant since July.

Like so many of Obama's nominees, Murthy had fallen into a political vortex, subject to an opposition campaign by the NRA over his support for gun-control policies that are far from central to the job informally known as the nation's top doctor. But the absence of a surgeon general had become more conspicuous in recent months, as the Obama administration confronted an Ebola epidemic in West Africa that nearly sparked a public panic when it briefly reached U.S. shores.

"Can anyone think of a public health issue that we’ve had to face since February?" Senator Dick Durbin asked rhetorically in a floor speech on Monday. Without a surgeon general, the CDC's Thomas Frieden took the lead in responding to the Ebola crisis, but the administration's initially inconsistent public response—and the spread of the disease from a misdiagnosed Liberian man to two Dallas nurses—prompted criticism and eventually led Obama to name an "Ebola czar," Ron Klain, to coordinate the government's efforts.

All that might not have been necessary had the Senate confirmed Murthy earlier. But with Republicans opposed and Democrats nervous about a fight on gun rights in the months before the midterm election, his nomination languished. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called for the vote Monday as he sought to install some two dozen of the president's executive and judicial nominees before Democrats hand over control of the chamber to Republicans in January. (Reid may end up being able to confirm more nominees than he would have otherwise because of a procedural flub over the weekend by Senator Ted Cruz, of all people.)................



?ngnfjr

and got to thinking--IF a statement had been made.


Ask the U.S.Surgeon General to make a statement: Fax: 240-453-6141
Telephone: 240-276-8853 #measles #vaccinations

And he spoke in favor of vaccinations last week in Kansas City.

http://kcur.org/post/surgeon-general-visits-kansas-city-addresses-immunization-violence

Glad to see he has spoken out on this issue. Seems I am not very good with the google search machine.


Surgeon General Visits Kansas City, Addresses Immunization, Violence

http://kcur.org/post/surgeon-general-visits-kansas-city-addresses-immunization-violence



Immunization

I think it’s very important that people get immunized. There are diseases we can prevent like measles, but there are also illnesses like the flu for which we have vaccines available and it’s important for us to get vaccinated for the flu as well. So my message as I go to communities across the country is to emphasize the importance of vaccination. I understand there are concerns that some individuals have about whether there may be harmful effects from vaccines. There’s been some concern whether the measles, mumps and rubella vaccines causes autism. I want to say that definitively there have been studies which have proven there is no link between the measles vaccine and autism. But not everyone has gotten this message, so that’s partly why I’m here out on the road, to talk about the importance of things like immunization.....