Dr. Bill Durston

Dr. Bill Durston is running for Congress to give the people of California’s 3^rd Congressional District a choice between the incumbent, a veteran politician in lockstep with the Bush Administration, and someone with a vision for a better future. Here are some of Bill's positions on major issues.

On the War in Iraq - As a Vietnam veteran, I am saddened to see our country involved in another war started on false pretenses. Like many other veterans, I support the sacrifices our troops are making, but I don't support sacrificing our troops. I will work toward a prompt but orderly withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and replacement of U.S. forces by a truly international security force.

On "The War on Terror" - History shows that conventional military force is not only ineffective, but counter-productive in combating terrorism. The Bush Administration's belligerent military response to the September 11 terrorist attacks has created more terrorists than it has eliminated, and security in our own country has been weakened by deployment of reservists and diversion of resources abroad. We need to adopt a smarter, more effective approach to stopping terrorism that includes international cooperation, addressing the root causes of terrorism, and taking practical steps such as improving port security and providing more resources for law enforcement  in our own country.

On Democracy in America and America's Image Abroad - The Bush Administration has scorned international law, the Geneva Convention, and the U.S. Constitution. I will work to restore democracy within our own country and to restore our country's tarnished image abroad.

On Health Care - I believe that access to necessary medical care is a basic human right, not a privilege based upon one's ability to pay. Throughout my career as an emergency physician, I have provided the best possible care to patients without regard to their financial status. As a U.S. Representative, I will work for affordable health care for all Americans.

On America's Infrastructure - No country from Ancient Greece to the former Soviet Union has been able to divert vast resources toward war and preparation for war without decaying from within and falling from power. I will work to stop wasting resources on war and to instead redirect these resources  toward improving our country’s infrastructure and meeting the needs of our own citizens.

Family Values

Bill and his wife, Diane, have been married for 36 years. They have two grown children, Annie and Jeff. Their family values include love, joy, respect, tolerance, gratitude, generosity, responsibility, hard work, courage, and integrity.

Bill's Background

Bill grew up in the Santa Clara Valley (now the "Silicon Valley). He was president and valedictorian of his high school class.  Rather than go directly on to college, though, he  enlisted in the U.S. Marines at the height of the Vietnam war. He served in Vietnam with the Marines 3^rd Force Reconnaissance Company, and he was decorated for bravery under combat.

Following his military service, Bill graduated first in his class in Biochemistry at U.C. Berkeley and entered Medical School at the University of California, San Francisco, where he was a Regent's Scholar. He is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine and has practiced in Sacramento for over 20 years.

Bill served as Assistant Chief of the Kaiser, Sacramento Emergency Department from 1982-1985 and Chief of the Kaiser, South Sacramento Emergency Department from 1985-1989. He helped found the UC Davis/Kaiser Emergency Medicine Residency in 1989, and he served as Associate Residency Director from 1989-2002. He has received awards for being an outstanding teacher and an outstanding researcher.

Bill has served as Injury Prevention Chairperson of the California Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians (Cal/ACEP) from 2000 to present, and he served on the Cal/ACEP Board of Directors from 2003-2004. He has helped craft state legislation related to injury prevention, and he has testified on numerous occasions before committees of the California State Legislature. He received a special Cal/ACEP Injury Prevention Award in 2002 for service to the people of California.

Bill served on the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility from 1999-2003, and he helped re-form the Sacramento chapter in 2003. He served as PSR/Sacramento president from 2003 until stepping down this year to run for Congress. PSR is the U.S. affiliate of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, winner of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize.

Bill's website