Committee Holds Surgeon General Hearing

Sometimes called “the nation’s doctor,” the Surgeon General is widely viewed by the public as an objective authority on matters of health. Past Surgeon General Reports have addressed the health consequences of smoking and second-hand smoke, as well as other important public health topics such as AIDS prevention, mental health, and the health and wellness of people with disabilities. The position of Surgeon General provides a “bully pulpit” for public health in the United States and increasingly worldwide. A transcript of this hearing is now available.

The July 10, 2006, hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee examined the challenges faced by three former Surgeons General. These distinguished physicians, who served during the Reagan, Clinton and current Bush Administrations, testified that their professional independence was compromised by political interference.

Dr. Richard Carmona, the most recent individual to serve as Surgeon General, testified that during his four-year term as Surgeon General, political interference in the office reached an unprecedented level. He described incidents in which senior political appointees of the Bush Administration blocked proposed Surgeon General Reports and Calls to Action on global health, mental health preparedness, and emergency preparedness. He described repeated attempts to delay release and water down the findings of his landmark report on second-hand smoke. And he testified that political appointees of the Bush Administration sought to edit or censor his speeches about stem cells, Plan B, and other politically sensitive topics, and even limit where and when he could travel.

Dr. C. Everett Koop, Surgeon General during the Reagan Administration, testified that he struggled against Reagan Administration officials who did not want him to speak out on AIDS, sexual health, and other issues. Nevertheless, he persisted, and was ultimately successful in communicating important public health information to the American people.

Dr. David Satcher, who served as Surgeon General during the latter years of the Clinton Administration and the first year of the Bush Administration, testified that he was unable to convince either Administration to endorse needle exchange programs, despite scientific evidence that they reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS. He was not, however, hindered from speaking out about the issue. Dr. Satcher also testified that he encountered obstacles to publishing The Surgeon General’s Call to Action for Sexual Health and Responsible Sexual Behavior. It was ultimately released without the support of the Secretary of HHS.

All three witnesses urged Congress to strengthen the Office of the Surgeon General by giving it budgetary independence and the staffing it needs to carry out its vital mission. They believe that future Surgeons General must be empowered to communicate vital health information, based on the best available science, directly to the American people. Chairman Waxman has drafted the Surgeon General’s Independence Act to implement these recommendations and protect future Surgeons General from political interference.

The Surgeon General’s greatest asset — his or her ability to speak honestly and credibly to the nation about public health science — must be preserved.