Political Quotes

“I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 2405, the Pandemic and All- Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2011. This bill is an opportunity to build a more prepared and resilient public health infrastructure. We all know very well that our Nation continues to face threats that require an ongoing commitment to public health and emergency preparedness, which is why, over the past 10 years, this Congress has placed a high priority on biodefense. In 2004, with tremendous bipartisan support, we passed the Project Bioshield Act. Democrats and Republicans worked together to establish a process that would help our Nation respond to bioterrorism threats and attacks. We then identified some shortfalls and, in 2006, worked to amend the program by passing the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, also known as PAHPA. Specifically, PAHPA provided the Department of Health and Human Services with the additional authorities and resources necessary to rapidly develop drugs and vaccines to protect citizens from various medical incidents, whether accidental, such as H1N1 outbreaks, or those that are deliberate, such as anthrax attacks. The programs and activities first established in both the 2004 Project Bioshield Act and the 2006 PAHPA codified and expanded the Federal Government's support for public health preparedness.…”