Reps. Waxman and Capps Introduce H.R.3447, the Surgeon General Independence Act

Today Reps. Waxman and Capps introduced legislation to protect the Surgeon General from political interference. The Surgeon General Independence Act (H.R.3447) clarifies that the Surgeon General’s work must be guided by the best available public health science, provides budget autonomy for the Surgeon General's Office, stipulates that a Surgeon General can only be removed from office with good reason, and protects future Surgeon General Reports and Calls to Action from interference by only allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services the authority to block publication. Other cosponsors include Reps. Towns, Lewis, Slaughter, DeGette, Hooley, Christensen, Lee, Schakowsky, Baldwin, Solis, Cooper, and Cohen.