The United States Senate has confirmed Regina Benjamin as the next Surgeon General. Dr. Benjamin, a family practice physician from the Gulf Coast of Alabama received bipartisan support, and was confirmed by a unanimous voice vote Thursday evening.

Kevin Coyle, National Wildlife Federation’s Vice President for Education and Training, said:

“National Wildlife Federation congratulates Dr. Regina Benjamin on her confirmation by the U.S. Senate as America’s Surgeon General. Dr. Benjamin’s commitment to caring for patients in the Gulf Coast region and dedication to fighting preventable illness are commendable.

“NWF looks forward to working with Dr. Benjamin to raise a healthier generation of Americans and address issues such as the obesity crisis. Part of the strategy for addressing the obesity epidemic involves unplugging from electronic media and spending active time in the great outdoors.”

“In her new position, Dr. Benjamin is in a prime position to call on all parents to make sure their children are getting outdoors on a regular basis. We look forward to working with her to bring this critical issue to the attention of the American public.”

“Today’s children have less contact with nature and outdoor play than any generation in history. Kids aged 2 to 11—a life stage so important to development—spend on average 30 hours per week in front of a television screen. This new Nielsen Company statistic does not even include time this age group spends surfing the Internet. America’s ‘indoor childhood’ has significant implications for our children’s mental and physical health.”

“Outdoor play is key to the intellectual, emotional, and physical health of our children. Providing them with quality opportunities to directly experience the natural world improves students’ overall readiness to learn, as well as aids health, self-esteem, personal responsibility, community involvement and understanding of nature.”

National Wildlife Federation is America's largest conservation organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future. NWF’s BE OUT THERE campaign encourages families across America to get outside on a daily basis to improve their physical and mental health. The benefits of outdoor play are real: healthier kids with a life-long appreciation of wildlife and nature.

Contacts:
Patrick Fitzgerald at 202-797-6821 or FitzgeraldP@nwf.org
Amanda Cooke at 703-438-6041 or CookeA@nwf.org
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