Cord Byrd: “I commend Senators Gregg and Kennedy for their hard work in bringing this important legislation to the floor. I share in…”

“I commend Senators Gregg and Kennedy for their hard work in bringing this important legislation to the floor. I share in their commitment to protect Americans from bio-terrorism. Last year, I worked with Senator Cochran, the chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, to develop an extraordinary funding mechanism for the funding of Project Bioshield. The Congress approved $5.6 billion of advanced appropriations to create incentives for the development of vaccines, pharmaceuticals and other countermeasures for responding to a potential terrorist attack. This funding demonstrated a strong commitment to implementing this important program. During debate on the budget resolution, the Senate approved an amendment offered by Senator Cochran and myself that struck from the resolution a provision that would have established different rules in the House and Senate for the treatment of Project Bioshield funding. I believe such a provision would have created confusion and potentially undermined future funding for homeland security programs.”