Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment to increase funding for Project BioShield from $820 million to $870 million, with the funds coming from taking money from the recurring expense fund for buildings and facilities at HHS. Mr. Chairman, medical countermeasures are important. We know that the chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats are real in this world and that there is no natural market incentive for private industry to invest in developing countermeasures despite their critical importance to national security. That is exactly why Congress authorized Project BioShield almost 20 years ago, in 2004, which incentivizes industry to invest in these products despite the fact that there is no natural market incentive. The program provides multiyear funding to support advanced research, clinical development, manufacturing, and procurement. BioShield responds to national security threats identified by the Department of Homeland Security's material threat determination process. According to the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise, or PHEMCE, their multiyear budget, BARDA's Project BioShield would need $1.7 billion in fiscal year 2024 to develop and support the candidates in the smallpox, radiological, nuclear, broad- spectrum antimicrobials, Ebola, and chemical countermeasure portfolios. That is in contrast to the $820 million that is in the underlying bill. Again, the experts have said we need $1.7 billion.…”