Political Quotes

“the Public Health Improvement Act of 2000 incorporates provisions that I originally introduced with my colleague, Senator Kennedy, as the Public Health Threats and Emergencies Act. The Act reauthorizes and amends Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act. This Section reauthorizes the ``Public Health Emergency Fund,'' from which the Secretary of Health and Human Services may expend funds in the event of a public health emergency. The Public Health Emergency Fund is a separate and distinct fund from the existing Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund, which is now used to fund other programs within the Department of Health and Human Services. It is our intent that the provisions of Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act apply to the Public Health Emergency Fund, and not to the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund. Since public health emergencies may present unanticipated costs, the sponsors of the Act did not specify a dollar amount in authorizing appropriations for the Public Health Emergency Fund. However, we believe that a fund should exist from which expenditures can be made in the event of a public health emergency and appropriations made accordingly, so that monies need not be diverted from existing programs when emergencies arise, as is often now the case.”