Frank Lucas: “I rise today to ask for Members' support for the Agricultural Bioterrorism Countermeasures Act of 2001, H.R. 3293. The…”

“I rise today to ask for Members' support for the Agricultural Bioterrorism Countermeasures Act of 2001, H.R. 3293. The tragic events of September 11 have made all Americans appreciate our freedom and democracy more than ever. As we continue to get our lives back to normal, we must also realize how much this has changed. Terrorism does not have to be directed towards people; it can be directed at our modes of transportation, our communications infrastructure, or even our food supply. The United States Department of Agriculture, along with the Food and Drug Administration, is in charge of ensuring that Americans have a safe and abundant food supply. I would like to make it absolutely clear that because of USDA and FDA Americans enjoy the benefit of the safest food supply in the world. However, USDA and FDA have not had to clearly focus on how to prevent terrorism, bioterrorism, agriterrorism, or whatever term one prefers to use in describing the threats to America's food supply. Prevention is the key and long-term planning should be the goal to continued food safety. Congress needs to take positive steps to help USDA perform what we ask of it. Today, I am dropping a bill to help with prevention and long-term planning. H.R. 3293 authorizes money to be spent on USDA's agricultural research laboratories so that there is adequate plant and animal research being performed to combat bioterrorism.”