Cord Byrd: “If anthrax can make the public jittery--and we have seen that it can and has made the public jittery--the prospect of…”

“If anthrax can make the public jittery--and we have seen that it can and has made the public jittery--the prospect of smallpox, a contagious and vicious disease, could incite panic--panic! Funds in this bill, in my amendment, will be used to upgrade lab security at the National Institutes of Health and at the CDC, and to improve security at the U.S. Department of Agriculture labs, by hiring additional inspectors for import inspections, food supply monitoring, and lab equipment. There you are. Now, the next section of the chart I wish to point out is the section denominated ``Federal, State, and Local Antiterrorism Law Enforcement, $3 billion.'' Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials have been working around the clock since September 11. When it comes to law enforcement and homeland defense--remember what the preamble said, ``provide for the common defense''--this is where the rubber meets the road. My package includes $3 billion for Federal, State, and local antiterrorism law enforcement.”