This is a header image which reads, "News Release Judd Gregg United States Senator for New Hampshire 393 Russell Building, Washington, D.C. 202-224-3324 www.senate.go/~gregg/ For Immediate Release:"  There is also a small official photo of Senator Gregg on the right hand side of the header.
Date: September 20, 2006

Contact: Erin Rath(Gregg)


Senator Gregg Calls on GAO to Evaluate Government and
Private Sector Response Capabilities to Outbreak of Pandemic Flu

 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) today requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) evaluate government and private sector response capabilities in the case of an outbreak of pandemic flu.

“The possibility of a pandemic flu outbreak is real, and we must be prepared at all levels of government, as well as in the health care industry and business,” said Senator Gregg, the former Chairman and current member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. “In order to be properly prepared, we need to measure our current capabilities and make improvements and changes where needed. An assessment by GAO of our current capabilities will help us do that and I look forward to their answers.”

In a September 20th letter to GAO, Senator Gregg commended the agency on its investigative work into the preparedness of all levels of government, and requested that it assess the preparedness of hospitals and other private sector entities to respond to an outbreak of pandemic flu. He requested that GAO evaluate the preparedness of the nation’s critical infrastructure, including food and water supplies. Senator Gregg also asked GAO to continue to measure and assess the readiness of first responders to have the proper personnel, vaccines, and medical equipment available to treat a significant rise in patients and keep those supplies both safe and available.
           
During the 109th Congress, Senator Gregg introduced the SAFE Act (S. 2792) to enhance our nation’s level of emergency preparedness, including better coordination and planning at all levels of government for public health and medical response. During the 108th Congress, Senator Gregg authored the Project BioShield Act, which provided $5.6 billion for the development of critical vaccines, devices and drugs that can be used against bio-terror threats like anthrax, small pox, and botulinum toxin.  The legislation also ensures prompt access to life-saving therapies under development when an attack occurs and improves NIH research authorities to speed up bioterrorism research. 

As Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Senator Gregg held a hearing on May 23, 2006 titled, “Bio-Defense and Pandemic Influenza: Is America Prepared?”  Under Senator Gregg’s leadership, the HELP Committee held four hearings regarding bioterrorism: “The Smallpox Vaccination Plan: Challenges and Next Steps” January 2003; “Federal Bio-Defense Readiness” July 2003; “Terror Attacks: Are We Prepared?” July 2004; and “BioShield II: Responding to an Ever-Changing Threat” a joint hearing with the Judiciary Committee in October 2004. In addition, Senator Gregg held a joint Budget/Appropriations Committee hearing on bioterrorism preparedness in April 2005.
A copy of Senator Gregg’s letter to GAO is attached


                                                                        September 20, 2006

 

Dear Mr. Walker,

I commend GAO for conducting a comprehensive study on federal and private sector efforts to prepare for and respond to an influenza pandemic.  A pandemic could have severe consequences, affecting all sectors of the economy and raising important health care and other challenging policy issues.  GAO has begun to identify some key issues central to planning for and responding to a pandemic: leadership, authority, and coordination; detecting threats and managing risks; planning, training and exercising; capacity to respond and recover; information sharing and communication; and performance and accountability. 

An outbreak of pandemic flu will require a comprehensive national network to ensure the protection of our nation’s critical infrastructure.  As such, I request that GAO undertake a review of the private sector’s efforts to coordinate critical infrastructure protection networks.  There are a number of areas that should be reviewed, including distributing food, water and other critical supplies. 

I am also interested in preparedness at the state and local levels of government, which would also be called upon to address pandemic threats.  Therefore, I request that GAO examine states' planning efforts, including disease surveillance capabilities, evaluation of state pandemic preparedness planning, and medical surge capacity.  I would also request that GAO examine whether states are meeting preparedness goals established through the guidance establish in the  CDC and HRSA public health and hospital preparedness grants.

Finally, I am interested in understanding how well our nation’s private sector is prepared to handle an outbreak of pandemic influenza.  With a significant number of employees out sick or taking care of loved ones, it is expected that the workforce will be significantly impacted.  As such, I am requesting that GAO examine how well prepared hospitals and businesses are to maintain adequate levels of operation during a pandemic.   

As described in at the outset, my interests in preparing for pandemic influenza are wide-ranging, and not limited solely to these issues.  I would request that your staff keep in touch on a regular basis with Richie Weiblinger of my staff at (202) 224-0642.

Sincerely,


Judd Gregg

U.S. Senator

 

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