Daniel Akaka: “President, I rise to join my colleagues, Senators Lieberman and Brownback in introducing legislation establishing a…”

“President, I rise to join my colleagues, Senators Lieberman and Brownback in introducing legislation establishing a wildlife global animal information network for detection of emerging, highly contagious diseases in non-agricultural animals. This bill is an important part of efforts to prevent and respond to natural or intentional pandemic disease outbreaks in the U.S. Our legislation focuses on the source of nearly all pandemic disease outbreaks over the last 30 years--zoonotic diseases, or diseases that originate in animals, either agricultural or non-agricultural, and, through mutation, are passed to humans. Avian influenza, West Nile Virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are all zoonotic diseases originating in animals and subsequently transmitted to humans. The prevalence of such diseases underscores the need to link veterinary health and public health arenas. America's infrastructure for pandemic flu preparedness and response should therefore include the ability to monitor zoonotic diseases, creating an early warning and response system which will alert public health officials and animal health experts at the emergence of highly contagious diseases before they are passed to humans.”