The Ebola outbreak is refueling debate over the next pick for surgeon general.
Over the past few days, Obama administration officials have been trying to shift the spotlight to Vivek Murthy, President Obama’s pick for the position, who is currently stalled in getting confirmed, according to the Wall Street Journal.
After Senate Democrats said they would not confirm him because of his support for gun control, his confirmation was not brought up for a vote in front of the Senate. Though Senate Democratic leaders are still not expected to bring Murthy up for a vote until they know they have the votes, Ebola in the U.S. could change that.
On Friday, more than 30 House Democrats were preparing to send a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to throw support behind Murthy and his confirmation, according to House aids.
“Partisan politics have left us without a surgeon general, and that has to change too,” Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said Thursday discussing the U.S.’s handling of Ebola in the country. The teachers union also represents around 80,000 nurses.
However, some Republicans have called for President Obama to withdraw Murthy’s nomination. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso said Thursday the president should nominate “a more qualified medical professional” to the role other than Murthy.
Murthy, an internal medicine physician and co-founder of the group Doctors for America, was tapped by President Obama in November for the position.
The position has been empty since July 2013, when Regina Benjamin resigned. Boris Lushniak, the former deputy surgeon general, has been acting in Benjamin’s place since her departure.
