[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 96 (Tuesday, June 13, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S8204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          THE CLOCK IS TICKING

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I, too, today rise to urge the majority 
leader to bring the nomination of Dr. Henry Foster, Jr., for U.S. 
Surgeon General to the Senate floor for a vote.
  I am very excited about the nomination of Dr. Foster to be U.S. 
Surgeon General. Dr. Foster is an OB-GYN, and I appreciate the 
importance of his practice area to families and children. For far too 
long in this Nation, women's health concerns have been neglected by our 
Government. One example tells a whole story.
  A National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute study of 22,000 
physicians begun in 1981 found that men who took aspirin every other 
day reduced their incidence of heart attacks. The Institute claimed 
that women were not included in the study because to do so would have 
increased the cost. As a result, today we do not know whether this 
prevention strategy would help women, harm them, or have no effect.
  Gender equity in medical research has received increased attention 
over the past few years. We no longer will tolerate a Government-funded 
heart disease study which includes 22,000 men and excludes women 
altogether. Given that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, we 
expect women to be included in clinical trials.
  We still have a long way to go. Women are the fastest growing 
demographic group among those diagnosed with HIV. We suffer from 
clinical depression at rates twice that of men. And we frequently are 
the victims of domestic violence.
  It is imperative that the leading public health official in our 
Nation be a forceful spokesperson on these issues.
  Everyone agrees we need to reduce teen pregnancy because it is a 
national priority. We need a Surgeon General who understands the link 
between sexual abuse, adolescent pregnancy, and building self-esteem 
among at-risk youth.
  Dr. Foster has experience in reducing teen pregnancy. His ``I Have a 
Future'' program was named a ``Point of Light'' by President Bush 
because of its pioneering work. Dr. Foster has successfully 
demonstrated his ideas about public health strategies that can greatly 
benefit our Nation. He has focused not only on preventing teen 
pregnancy but on preventing drug abuse, reducing infant mortality and 
ending smoking by children. He is a physician with vision, and he is a 
caring and honorable man.
  When I first met with him a few months ago, he mentioned the opening 
lecture he gives to medical students. He spoke passionately about the 
importance of obstetrics and gynecology. He told me he reminds new OB-
GYN's that without their work there would be no art or architecture; 
without healthy women and children there would be nothing.
  Some politicians would have the Senate exclude Dr. Foster from 
consideration because he has performed abortions. I disagree. Abortion 
should not be the determining factor in the selection of a Surgeon 
General. Let us not tolerate the disqualification of this candidate 
because of his basic practice area. Dr. Foster has dedicated his life 
to women's health, the welfare of children, and the well-being of 
families.
  Meanwhile, the clock is ticking. Dr. Joycelyn Elders resigned her 
post, as was stated, on December 9, 1994. This nomination was sent to 
the Senate on February 2, the nomination papers were filed February 28, 
and the committee voted this out on May 26, 1995. Our Nation has now 
gone 6 months without a Surgeon General, and the clock is ticking.
  Every 15 seconds a woman is battered. And that is not all. Let me 
share with my colleagues that the clock is ticking and every 59 seconds 
a baby is born to a teen mother. Every year, alcohol causes the death 
of nearly 20,000 Americans. Every 17 minutes, AIDS takes another 
American life. Every year, over 144,000 Americans will suffer a stroke. 
We need a national public health spokesperson, and we need a Surgeon 
General.
  This year alone, 95,400 men will die of lung cancer; 62,000 women 
will die of lung cancer; 51,000 Americans will die of AIDS; 46,000 
women will die of breast cancer; 40,000 men will die of prostate 
cancer; and 14,500 women will die of ovarian cancer.
  Mr. President, we need a national public health spokesperson. We need 
a Surgeon General, and we need a vote in the Chamber of the Senate on 
the nomination of Surgeon General.
  I, too, will be back on this floor reminding my colleagues it has 
been 6 months and the clock keeps ticking. We want a vote.
  I yield the floor.
  

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