Paul Coverdell: “As the committee noted in its report on S. 1122, the Marine Corps' Chemical Biological Incident Response Force, also…”

“As the committee noted in its report on S. 1122, the Marine Corps' Chemical Biological Incident Response Force, also known as CBIRF, has an important responsibility in responding to chemical/ biological threats and that their activities should be fully integrated with the Department's chemical-biological defense program. It is my understanding that the Marine Corps is prepared to conduct a coordinated civilian and military chemical incident demonstration that would integrate sophisticated sensor technology like that interferometric sensors I just mentioned, into a detection network. My area of the country would make an ideal place for such a demonstration because of the presence of chemical agents and demilitarization facilities in the region and because the region has been the target of terrorist activities in the past. Does the committee agree that such a joint civilian and military exercise is an appropriate part of developing chemical and biological detection technologies and can be funded out of the additional funds made available by the committee under Marine Corps Program Wide Support?”