Tom Harkin: “It is fully paid for. The Senator is right. I am glad he made the distinction. There are those who say we don't have to…”

“It is fully paid for. The Senator is right. I am glad he made the distinction. There are those who say we don't have to do it now, we can put it off until later. The USDA said last year in its report to the Appropriations Committee: USDA recognizes the swiftly increasing threats from known and emerging diseases because of increased travel, trade, production concentration, and pathogen resistance. A new disease emerges, on average, once a year, requiring constant vigilance and preparedness. The report went on to quote the Animal Agriculture Coalition which noted: The modernization plan proposed by ARS and APHIS is crucial to fulfilling the mission of USDA, specifically in ensuring a safe food supply and expanding global markets for agricultural products and services . . . if facilities in Ames are not modernized, both agencies could lose their ability to respond to animal disease emergencies. Because of the safety concerns and levels of safeguards necessary to work with animal pathogens, the work done in Ames is not easily transferred elsewhere within USDA. Before September 11, both the House and the Senate Appropriations Committees had moved to provide an additional $40 million for the design of the facility. With the tragedy of September 11, the need for modernization sharply increased.”