The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Vivek Murthy as U.S. surgeon general, a role he held during former President Barack Obama's second term. Seven Republicans joined all 50 members of the Democratic caucus in the 57 to 43 vote. President Biden has pledged that Murthy, an ally and adviser since the Obama administration, "will be a key public voice on the COVID response to restore public trust and faith in science and medicine." The surgeon general is typically more a spokesperson for public health issues than a policymaker.
Murthy, 43, is the first, and still the only, Senate-confirmed Asian American surgeon general, The Washington Post reports. His 2013 nomination was stalled for more than a year over objections from gun organizations to his stance, still espoused, that gun violence is a public health crisis. Former President Donald Trump ousted him in 2017, before his term was up, replacing him with Jerome Adams; Biden forced Adams out in January, and Susan Orsega, a rear admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service, has served in an acting capacity since Biden's inauguration.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdownSpeed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
-
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdownSpeed Read The bill would fund the government through March 14, 2025
-
Luigi Mangione charged with murder, terrorismSpeed Read Magnione is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
-
Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about BidensSpeed Read Alexander Smirnov claimed that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter were involved in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma
-
South Korea impeaches president, eyes chargesSpeed Read Yoon Suk Yeol faces investigations on potential insurrection and abuse of power charges
-
Biden sets new clemency record, hints at moreSpeed Read President Joe Biden commuted a record 1,499 sentences and pardoned 39 others convicted of nonviolent crimes
-
Mysterious drones roil New Jersey, prompt FBI inquirySpeed Read State and federal officials are both stumped and concerned
-
South Korean president vows to fight removalSpeed Read Yoon Suk Yeol defended his martial law decree and said he will not step down, despite impeachment efforts
