Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 391, the Global Health Security Act of 2021. As the saying goes: ``An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,'' and that is undoubtedly true in global health. Pandemics don't respect borders and they don't care about nationalities, and we are seeing that play out on the front pages of the news these days as the coronavirus pandemic continues to cause severe disruptions around the world. Over the past few years, global health security has become increasingly tied to U.S. national security, as evidenced by not only our experience with COVID-19, but also previous pandemics, such as Ebola and Zika, both overseas and at home. Having a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to prepare for and respond to these threats is critical. We must build on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Global Health Security Agenda, which the United States has committed to, helps countries invest in preparedness and strengthens systems that prevent, detect, and respond to disease outbreaks. H.R. 391, a bipartisan bill by Representative Connolly and Representative Chabot, would institutionalize the best practices the United States has learned in global health security. This bill establishes an interagency review council to not only advance global health security, but also mandates a U.S. Global Health Security Coordinator to manage the U.S.…”