John B. Breaux: “the West Nile virus has reached epidemic proportions. My home State of Louisiana has seen cases of the disease skyrocket…”

“the West Nile virus has reached epidemic proportions. My home State of Louisiana has seen cases of the disease skyrocket in recent months, with 222 cases and 9 deaths reported to date. But this is not a problem isolated in one State or one region. The Centers for Disease Control, CDC, have reported cases of this mosquito-borne illness in humans in 30 States and the District of Columbia. It is clear, as we have seen in Louisiana, that State governments are overtaxed in money and man-power and simply cannot continue to fight the spread of this disease on their own. The Federal Government needs to work hard and fast to combat this potential public health crisis and assist the hardest hit areas in preventing the loss of even more lives. Earlier this year, my colleagues in the House of Representatives, Congressmen Billy Tauzin and Chris John, introduced legislation that would make grants available through the CDC to help States in establishing and maintaining mosquito control programs and prevent mosquito-borne illnesses. Today Senator Landrieu and I have introduced companion legislation to the House bill, The Mosquito Abatement for Health and Safety Act, H.R. 4793, of the same title in an effort to quickly make resources available to local governments in Louisiana and across the country that have been on the front lines fighting the spread of the West Nile outbreak.”