When the National Response Framework and the National Pandemic Implementation Plan were being put together, there was a lot of criticism that the Federal Government did not work with and talk to the State and local governments effectively.

We just need to make sure that we are ready, that we are doing everything that we can do, and that the State, local, and private sector are working together on this.

CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat has said this will be a marathon and not a sprint.

This is the Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration and it is time for us to update our efforts on pandemic influenza.

So I would suggest that our political leadership involved and scientific community involved with global health issues will have some significant questions to address in terms of the U.S. leadership.

I think that we have to really put our decision making on the fast track about what to do because by the time we make decisions over the next couple of months, the virus may have jumped out ahead of us.

Should you let the various States make that decision on how it is distributed, or should there be one national policy that the States just follow?

It is much more efficient, actually, if we could sit down as Federal, State, and local and jointly work on guidance.

It seems to me this is the worst time that they could be cutting back on these type of health-related services.

The Federal Government needs to fully advise and work through issues with the States.

As I understand it, the World Health Organization is deliberating whether to move this from a Phase Five to a Phase Six.