[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 7 (Monday, February 16, 1998)]
[Page 236]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Confirmation of David Satcher as Surgeon General and 
Assistant Secretary for Health

February 10, 1998

    I am extremely pleased that the Senate, with strong bipartisan 
support, voted to confirm Dr. David Satcher as the Nation's next Surgeon 
General and Assistant Secretary for Health. I commend the Senate for 
voting to make Dr. Satcher the leading voice for our Nation's public 
health.
    No one is better qualified than Dr. Satcher to be America's doctor. 
He is a mainstream physician who is an eloquent advocate for the health 
of all Americans. As Director of the Center for Disease Control, David 
Satcher has helped lead our fights to improve the safety of our food, 
wipe out the scourge of infectious disease, expand access to vital 
cancer screening, and increase child immunization rates to an all time 
high.
    As Surgeon General, Dr. Satcher will continue to fight to improve 
health for all Americans. He will speak directly to the American 
people--giving us straight talk and sound advice. He will engage us in 
an ongoing conversation about physical activity, good nutrition, 
prevention, and responsible behavior. He will guide our Nation on the 
most important public health issues of our time, including tobacco. This 
year, Dr. Satcher will be a leading voice as we work to pass 
comprehensive legislation that will help to free our children from the 
grip of tobacco. I look forward to working with him on this and other 
important challenges that lie before us.
    I would like to thank the Republican and the Democratic leadership 
for shepherding this nomination through the Senate. I would also like to 
add my thanks to Senators Jeffords, Frist, Kennedy, Mack, and Hatch for 
their strong support for this extremely qualified nominee. I also 
commend the representatives from physicians, nurses, other health 
professionals, and the public health community for their steadfast 
support of Dr. Satcher's nomination. Their combined leadership made a 
vital contribution toward improving the health of all Americans.