Political Quotes

“this country is dangerously close to a real biological crisis. Yesterday we learned an American company mailed a deadly avian flu strain to 37,000 laboratories in the United States and around the world as part of a routine test kit. The potential error is a reminder of the real danger of a flu pandemic and the millions of deaths it could cause. It also reminds us of the responsibility as a Congress and as a Nation to improve our ability to produce and distribute flu vaccine and to prepare for the pandemic. The Flu Protection Act, which Senator Bayh and I introduced, would help ensure that enough vaccine is produced each year, fund research to combat avian flu, and require the development of contingency plans in the case of a pandemic. The impending crisis must encourage this administration to take action now. Earlier this month, President Bush took an important step when he authorized a quarantine to stem the spread of avian flu. In a letter that Senator Bayh and I will send today to the White House, there are other steps the President can take without legislation. He can increase our vaccine stockpiles, help States and cities prepare for the crisis of a pandemic, and provide the incentives for vaccine manufacturers to increase their production. Madam Speaker, yesterday's announcement reminds us that the next flu pandemic is just around the corner, and the time to act is now.…”