Providing a Defense Against Bioterrorism

Congressman Ed Bryant, May 24, 2002

It has become unfortunately clear that we are no longer immune to the threat of bioterrorism. That is why it is important that our nation have the ability to respond to bioterrorist attacks. Recently, Congress passed, and the President is expected to sign into law, the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act, which will significantly improve America’s ability to respond effectively and quickly to bioterrorist threats and other public health emergencies.

Our bipartisan legislation, which I am an original cosponsor of, includes everything from beefed-up food safety regulations to tightened controls on deadly biological weapons. During hearings in the Energy and Commerce Committee, I heard testimony from experts in a wide range of fields who told us that as a nation, we are not prepared to fully handle a bioterrorist attack. I worked with many of my colleagues on the Committee to craft legislation that will help federal, state and local governments improve their health infrastructure.

Over $1.5 billion in grants to states, local governments and other public and private health care facilities and other entities have been authorized in this legislation. These grants will be used to improve planning and preparedness activities, enhance laboratory capacity, educate and train health care personnel, and to develop new drugs, therapies and vaccines.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was authorized $300 million to upgrade and renovate their facilities to deal with public health threats. Funds, as needed, will also be available to improve the CDC’s infrastructure. As one of the primary agencies that would be called into service in the event of a bioterrorist attack, it is crucial that the CDC have the resources it needs to respond as quickly as possible, anywhere in the nation.

In the season finale of the television show "ER", a suspected case of smallpox was brought into the emergency room. As in real life, the "ER" doctors notified local public health officials, who in turn notified the CDC. A team from the CDC arrived at the hospital with smallpox vaccine, and quarantined the emergency room. Through this fictional account, "ER" heightened the public’s awareness about smallpox disease and the need for public health systems that can effectively address a smallpox emergency, if the need should ever arise.

Our legislation authorizes more than $1.15 billion for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to expand our current national stockpiles of medicines and other supplies, including the purchase of additional smallpox vaccines. In the event of an outbreak, such as the one seen on "ER", it is important to know that we have the vaccines available to stop such a deadly disease. To help prevent bioterrorism, and to establish a national database of dangerous pathogens, we require the HHS Secretary to impose new registration requirements on all possessors of the 36 biological agents and toxins most dangerous to humans.

We also need to protect our food and drug supply from bioterrorists. The FDA and the USDA have been authorized to hire hundreds of new inspectors at our borders, develop new methods to detect contaminated foods, work with state food safety regulators and to protect crops and livestock. The FDA will have new powers to detain suspicious foods for inspection, to require prior notice of all food imports and to require all foreign and domestic food facilities to register with the FDA.

Another source of an attack could be through our supply of drinking water. Our legislation authorizes over $100 million for the development of vulnerability analyses and emergency response plans for drinking water systems.

We are all worried about potential terrorist attacks on America. The recent anthrax scares in Washington and New York have shown that we are vulnerable to biological terrorism. With the passage of this legislation, we are strengthening our defense against bioterrorism and helping enhance our national security.

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