Washington DC:

The Senate voted on Tuesday (local time) to confirm Indian-American doctor Vivek Murthy to be US President Biden’s surgeon general, handing the administration one of its top public health officials amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Senators voted 57-43 to confirm the Indian American as Biden’s surgeon general. Dr Murthy had served as surgeon general under the Obama administration but was fired by former President Trump in 2017.

“I am deeply grateful to be confirmed by the Senate to serve once again as your Surgeon General. We have endured great hardship as a nation over the past year, and I look forward to working with you to help our nation heal and create a better future for our children,” Vivek Murthy tweeted.

Republicans Senators Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Roger Marshall, Lisa Murkowski, Rob Portman, Mitt Romney and Dan Sullivan joined Democrats in supporting Vivek Murthy’s nomination on Tuesday.

Dr Murthy is a distinguished physician and former Vice Admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.

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