The 133th Congress of the United States never got around to responding to the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting that overshadowed the final days of the last Congress so tragically back on 14 December 2012.  But despite the failure of all attempts at passing new gun control in the two years since, lawmakers will at least leave Washington this week with the sound of a symbolic vote on the issue ringing in their ears.  The expected Senate confirmation vote on Monday evening of Barack Obama’s long-standing nomination to become surgeon general, British-born Indian-American Vivek Murthy, has become a proxy battle for the ongoing fight between liberals and the powerful National Rifle Association.  Back in February, the NRA effectively torpedoed four months of White House efforts to swiftly confirm Murthy by focusing on his past support for gun control while working as a physician in Boston.  “Guns are a healthcare issue,” wrote Murthy in one tweet shortly before the Sandy Hook shooting in October 2012 that showed his frustration with the slow pace of reform even back then. “Tired of politicians playing politics w/ guns, putting lives at risk b/c they’re scared of NRA,” it added.  Tired of politicians playing politics w/ guns, putting lives at risk b/c they're scared of NRA. Guns are a health care issue. #debatehealth  To many Democrats it seemed an uncontentious, some might even say axiomatic, view for a doctor to point out that guns and health are linked. But for the NRA and its supporters in Congress the tweet and other statements like it were a worrying sign of an overtly political pick for the prestigious post of US surgeon general.  “The public must trust that the surgeon general’s actions are based on empirical and scientific evidence rather than political or ideological motives,” wrote the NRA director, Chris Cox, in a letter to senators.  “Dr Murthy’s record of political activism in support of radical gun control measures raises significant concerns about his ability to objectively examine issues pertinent to America’s 100 million firearm owners.”  Were it not for the looming midterm elections, such opposition might have safely stayed on the Republican side of the aisle.  A recent rule change by the Democratic Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, meant he now only needed 51 votes to confirm nominations, far fewer than the 60-vote threshold for legislation that finished off gun control efforts the previous summer.  But too many Democrats were running for re-election in pro-gun states during the confirmation process to survive such well-organised opposition by the NRA.  The White House admitted it was “recalibrating” its attempt to appoint Murthy after up to 10 Democrats, including Mark Begich of Alaska, signalled their opposition.  Now, with the battle to retain control of the Senate lost in November and Senator Begich one of four Democratic incumbents saying their farewells this week, Reid has one last chance to use his majority to fill the vacancy.  Having used an unexpected legislative window on Saturday to tee up the vote, the outgoing majority leader plans a procedural “cloture” motion on Monday evening followed hopefully by a full vote.  Opposition is still possible, but with several senators already departing Washington for Christmas and others knowing they won’t be coming back, Democrats hope they can at least say goodbye to their majority with a parting snub to the NRA.
Senate leader Harry Reid had resisted a vote before midterms on Dr Vivek Murthy who has previously spoken out in favour of gun control