Janice Schakowsky: “the Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act (H.R. 1463) is being rushed to the House floor today for a vote under…”

“the Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act (H.R. 1463) is being rushed to the House floor today for a vote under suspension, denying us the opportunity to amend this bill to ensure that the compensation we offer our first responders is both adequate and meaningful. I have serious concerns both about the deficiencies in H.R. 1463 and the process by which it was brought to the floor. This is an ill-considered bill that fails to provide adequate compensation for persons volunteering for the smallpox inoculation and, therefore, will undermine the very goal of encouraging first responders to participate in the vaccine program. Three recently immunized military personnel and civilian health care workers have died of fatal heart attacks and Federal health experts are investigating at least 15 more cases of possible cardiac reactions to the immunization. Given recent events such as these, the limitations of H.R. 1463 will likely result in even more refusals by first responders to volunteer for the smallpox vaccine. H.R. 1463 fails to offer meaningful compensation, does not have guaranteed funding, and attempts to coerce first responders into getting inoculated. It will not work.”