On the recordJuly 12, 2018
I thank the gentleman for yielding. One hundred years ago, the great influenza pandemic, often called the Spanish flu, caused about 50 million deaths worldwide, between 3 to 6 percent of the global population, and far more than the deaths from combat casualties in World War I. Public health officials have warned that we are overdue for another pandemic that will likely spread even more virulently in our globalized world. While global health may not be a topic that leaps to mind when thinking of the roles and missions of the intelligence community, the IC does play a pivotal role in defending us from microscopic threats. The IC's unique capabilities can be as valuable in combating disease as the other threats we face. During the Ebola crisis, NGA and other IC agencies provided geospatial and other intelligence to health workers battling the outbreak. Ensuring that we are prepared for any potential pandemic will be essential to saving American lives. I wholeheartedly support the bipartisan amendment by my colleagues from California, Virginia, and Washington, and I thank them for working with the committee staff to refine and perfect it.
