Surgeon General Independence Act

To amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure the independence of the Surgeon General from political interference.

8/3/2007--Introduced.
Surgeon General Independence Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to add as requirements for appointment as Surgeon General that an individual be:
(1) a licensed physician; and
(2) nominated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Requires the Regular Corps to submit to the Secretary and the President a list of six qualified nominees to fill any vacancy in the Surgeon General position. Prohibits an individual from serving more than three full terms as Surgeon General.
Allows the President to remove a Surgeon General during a term only for cause. Requires the Secretary to provide a written explanation of such a removal to the relevant congressional committees. Directs the Surgeon General, under the supervision and direction of the Secretary, to administer the Office of the Surgeon General, the Regular Corps, and the Reserve Corps. Requires the Surgeon General to submit to the President an annual budget estimate for the Office of the Surgeon General, after reasonable opportunity for comment (but without change) by the Secretary.
Gives the Surgeon General authority to hire and terminate employees of and consultants to the Office of the Surgeon General without obtaining approval or clearance. Directs the Surgeon General to:
(1) issue reports, calls to action, and other communications on matters of importance to the health of the American people; and
(2) submit to Congress and make publicly available an annual report on the state of the nation's health. Gives the Secretary the exclusive authority to disapprove the issuance of a report, call to action, or other communication proposed by the Surgeon General.

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Sponsor

• Rep. Henry Waxman [D, CA-30]
• and 13 Co-Sponsors
  • Rep. Tammy Baldwin [D, WI-2]
  • Rep. Lois Capps [D, CA-23]
  • Rep. Donna Christensen [D, VI-0]
  • Rep. Steve Cohen [D, TN-9]
  • Rep. Jim Cooper [D, TN-5]
  • Rep. Diana DeGette [D, CO-1]
  • Rep. Darlene Hooley [D, OR-5]
  • Rep. Barbara Lee [D, CA-9]
  • Rep. John Lewis [D, GA-5]
  • Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D, IL-9]
  • Rep. Louise Slaughter [D, NY-28]
  • Rep. Hilda Solis [D, CA-32]
  • Rep. Edolphus Towns [D, NY-10]
  close

Committees

• House Energy and Commerce
• 1 more
  • House Energy and Commerce
  close

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to H.R.3447

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by House		Voted on by Senate		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
August 03, 2007

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All Bill Actions

• Aug 03, 2007: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
• Aug 03, 2007: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• Introduced on Aug 03, 2007.

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Related Bills:

• S.1777

Related Issue Areas:

• Term limits
• Removal of officials
• Public health personnel
• Public health
• 24 more
• Public contracts
• Presidents
• Presidential appointments
• Physicians
• Nominations for office
• Medicine
• Medical care
• Health education
• Government publicity
• Government information
• Government employees
• Executive reorganization
• Executive departments
• Employee selection
• Dismissal of employees
• Department of Health and Human Services
• Consultants
• Congressional reporting requirements
• Congressional oversight
• Congress
• Communications
• Communication in medicine
• Budgets
• Health policy

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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Blog Coverage

October 13, 2008 Title 38 Nurse Pay

GovTrack: HR 3447 [107th]: Text of Legislation, Enrolled Bill To amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the authority of the Secretary ... pay on the same basis as provided for nurses in section 7453(c) of this title. ...

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Source: Glen

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July 23, 2008 FT.com | Clive Crook’s blog | Obama in Berlin

In late 2005, the Republican House of Representatives passed a sweeping immigration enforcement bill (H.R. 3447, if I remember my numbers correctly) sponsored by Republican Congressman James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, ...

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Source: Clive Crook's blog

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April 28, 2008 OpenCongress - U.S. Congress - S.2877 Pediatric, Adolescent, and ...

[1]; H.R.1707 Latin America Military Training Review Ac... [1]; H.R.3773 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of ... [1]; H.R.3963 Support for Injured Servicemembers Act [1]; H.R.3447 Surgeon General Independence Act [1] ...

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Source: Open Congress : Sen. Hillary Clinton [D, NY]

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