Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has placed himself at the center of the fiercely partisan debate over gun control with his declaration this week that gun violence in the U.S. is a public health crisis.
While Democrats applauded the move, which marked the first time a U.S. Surgeon General has issued a public health advisory on gun violence, gun rights groups criticized the nation’s top doctor.
“U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s declaration that ‘gun violence’ is a ‘public health crisis’ is nothing more than election year politics disguised in a white coat,” said the National Health Foundation. Shooting Sports in a press release.
Senator Mike Braun (R-Ind.) called called the action an “unconstitutional overreach” and pointed to Murthy’s 2021 confirmation hearing, when he said his “focus” as surgeon general would not be on gun control.
“Today, Surgeon Murthy abused his power in an attempt to undermine the Second Amendment,” said Rep. Richard Hudson (R-Va.) he said at X. “This is yet another attack on YOUR constitutional right to bear arms by the Biden administrator, and we will NOT allow it.”
Murthy said he hopes to raise awareness about how horrific gun violence has become, as well as propose policy measures to mitigate the frequency and consequences of incidents.
Democrats and public health organizations welcomed the news.
“This epidemic has devastated communities, stolen loved ones from families, and made us a global outlier,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said on X.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) he wrote, “Gun violence is a public health crisis and I am happy to see the Surgeon General take this step. The health and safety of our children should not be a partisan issue.”
Steven Furr, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, praised the action and said doctors “have long understood…the devastating impact that gun violence has on our patients and the communities we serve.”
“The effects of gun violence go beyond physical health and safety to include mental health and financial impacts,” he added.
Although armed groups criticized the decision, many Republicans remained notably silent about Murthy’s action. Top recipients of donations to the gun rights campaign – including Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) – have all been silent since the announcement. And their offices did not respond when The Hill reached out for comment.
In a statement to The Hill, Rep. Elise Stefanik (RN.Y.) called Murthy’s announcement a “false public health statement” designed to “strip law-abiding Americans of their constitutional right to bear arms.”
Stewart Verdery, CEO of the bipartisan lobbying firm Monument Advocacy, theorized that some gun rights advocates on Capitol Hill may not be commenting because “the Surgeon General has the panache of independence and credibility.”
“It’s not like facing a politician,” added Verdery, former assistant secretary for Policy and Planning at the US Department of Homeland Security.
He said Murthy’s proposals could still be reflected in races this election cycle. Gun regulation has not been among the top issues of this election cycle, but its status as a “second-tier issue” is subject to change at any time, Verdery said.
“Unfortunately, all it takes is one incident, a mass shooting or something like that to put this back on the front page,” he said.
He noted that Thursday’s debate could highlight the stark divide between the candidates over gun control, especially if Biden “comes out in favor of massive gun regulation” and paints a contrast with Trump, who “has been very much for the right on these issues.”
Murthy’s office says the proposal was informed by available data and the shared experiences of many Americans.
“The Office of the Surgeon General is an independent office that brings attention to critical public health issues based on scientific evidence. Murthy has long been concerned about the impact of gun violence on the health and well-being of Americans,” a spokesperson for the Surgeon General said in a statement to The Hill.
“As Surgeon General, he met with young people across the country, and in recent years, children, teens, their parents, and others have consistently viewed gun violence as a source of trauma and concern,” they added.
The statement itself does little more than raise awareness about the issue of gun violence. Any action, as Murthy stated, will be up to Congress to implement.
“These are broad strategies that we have outlined. The details of the legislative proposal would be up to Congress to define,” Murthy told The Hill.
Murthy’s advice proposes expanding universal background checks on gun purchases so that they also apply to private sales and gifted firearms; banning assault weapons and large-capacity magazines for civilian use; and treat firearms as consumer products, requiring regulations regarding their safety and warning labels detailing their risk.
Daniel Webster, a distinguished scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Resolving Gun Violence, said gun violence says the statement was “a big deal.”
“I think he does a very powerful job of articulating and outlining with, with data, the massive way that gun violence affects our public health and safety,” he said.
While acknowledging that Murthy sought to frame the proposals as apolitical, Webster said all gun policy is intrinsically political.
“My view on this is that anything about guns is going to be political and we just have to accept and acknowledge that,” he said.
“I think this report will motivate advocates, stakeholders and some policymakers to take action and give them some guidance on specific things they can and should do. But other people on the other side of the political spectrum – I suspect some of this will be rejected.”
Katie Pointer Baney, executive director of the American Concealed Carry Association’s Action Fund to Save Lives, said Murthy’s move would motivate gun rights advocates before November.
“We are currently working to mobilize a grassroots voter registration effort to empower voices from all corners of America, and political attacks like this against gun owners only serve to further increase their involvement this election season,” she said in a statement.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
