Rand Paul places hold on Gun-control Surgeon General Nomination

xavierok

Feb 26, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C.-  Sen. Rand Paul issued the following letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid objecting the consideration of the nomination of Dr. Vivek Murthy to the position of Surgeon General of the United States. The text of the letter can be found below.
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LETTER TEXT:
February 25, 2014
Dear Senate Majority Leader Reid,
I am writing to convey my objection to floor consideration of the nomination of Dr. Vivek Murthy to the position of Surgeon General of the United States.
I have serious concerns about Dr. Murthy's ability to impartially serve as "the Nation's Doctor". The majority of Dr. Murthy's non-clinical experience is in political advocacy. As you know, Dr. Murthy is the co-founder of Doctors for America, born out of the campaign organization Doctors for Obama, and it is a project of the left-leaning think tank Center for American Progress and has worked closely with Organizing for America, President Obama's political organization. I have outstanding questions about who is funding these organizations, and it is clear that more transparency is needed from a group whose influence frequently impacts appointments in the Obama Administration.
The primary policy goals of Dr. Murthy's organization have been focused on advancing stricter gun control laws and promoting the Affordable Care Act. In his efforts to curtail Second Amendment rights, Dr. Murthy has continually referred to guns as a public health issue on par with heart disease and has diminished the role of mental health in gun violence. As a physician, I am deeply concerned that he has advocated that doctors use their position of trust to ask patients, including minors, details about gun ownership in the home. His organization has also advocated that physicians collect and report data on gun ownership to the Federal Government and increasing Federal funding for gun control research.
Historically, the Surgeon General of the United States has been a position with the purpose of educating Americans so that they may lead healthier lives, rather than advancing a political agenda. Dr. Murthy has disqualified himself from being Surgeon General because of his intent to use that position to launch an attack on Americans' right to own a firearm under the guise of a public health and safety campaign.
Accordingly, I will object to any unanimous consent agreement or the waiver of any rule with respect to the nomination of Dr. Murthy.
Sincerely,
Rand Paul, M.D.
http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1111

happyfrog

Absolutely!

xavierok