[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 22 (Friday, March 6, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S1523]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BURNS (for himself, Mr. Helms, Mr. Thomas, and Mr. Kyl):
  S. 1725. A bill to terminate the Office of the Surgeon General of the 
Public Health Service; to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.


                the office of surgeon general sunset act

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Office of Surgeon 
General Sunset Act, along with Senators Helms, Thomas, and Kyl. This 
legislation has the same purpose as my bill from the 104th Congress, 
but has a different enactment provision. This bill will sunset the 
Office of Surgeon General only after Dr. Satcher vacates the office; 
this bill would not remove him from that position.
  Every recent Surgeon General nomination, including that of Dr. Koop, 
has resulted in a political battle which has detracted from important 
health issues. The position has been used by both parties as a 
political advocate as much as a public health advocate. In the wake of 
the recent nomination process, I am more persuaded than ever that the 
office is a lightning rod for controversy which provides no public 
benefit.
  The Surgeon General and his staff of six serve no compelling purpose. 
It is often said that the Surgeon General occupies a bully pulpit from 
which to address the nation on important health issues. But we've been 
without a surgeon general since the end of 1994, and there was no 
shortage of voices on major health issues. The president, the first 
lady, the secretary of health and human services, the commissioner of 
the Food and Drug Administration, and the former surgeon general all 
spoke on public health issues.
  What's more, the Surgeon General and his office are duplicative. The 
office performs no crucial function that is not handled by a different 
bureaucracy. In fact, the budget for the office has already been folded 
into the Office of Public Health and Science, headed by Dr. Satcher in 
his role as Assistant Secretary for Health. This office has a staff of 
300 and a current budget of over $80 million. My bill will merely 
complete the transition to the Assistant Secretary for Health, 
eliminating a redundant federal office.
  This legislation is not about Dr. Satcher, or about any previous 
Surgeon General. Dr. Satcher will continue to be Surgeon General and 
the office would sunset immediately after he vacates it. This 
legislation will sunset an office that has become a political football 
and has long since outlived its usefulness.
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