On the recordFebruary 2, 2015
As I noted earlier, this bill enjoyed broad bipartisan support last Congress. I hope Members will once again express their support for the men and women who protect us every day by voting for this bill. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 361, the Medical Preparedness Allowable Use Act that was introduced by Congressman Bilirakis. Over the years, the Committee on Homeland Security has heard about the importance of medical countermeasures. This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make it clear that grant funds under the State Homeland Security Grant Program and Urban Area Security Initiative may be used to enhance medical preparedness and purchase medical countermeasures. We owe it to our emergency response community, our first responders, to ensure that they have every tool necessary to be prepared for and combat the threats they face every day and may face in the future. Over the years, we have seen that the investments in medical preparedness activities have provided positive benefits when it comes to response capabilities. This was clearly demonstrated in the response to the Boston Marathon bombings when the medical community was largely praised by all involved in the response.…
