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Press Release Archive
May 22, 2002
House Passes House-Senate Conference Committee Agreement on Bioterrorism Bill
Washington, D.C.- Today, Representative Todd Akin voted for the passage of the “Public Security and Bioterrorism Response Act.” The bill authorizes the funding of measures to greatly enhance America’s ability to respond to a biological terrorist attack.
“Since September 11 and the Anthrax attacks last year, it is abundantly clear that we are facing real threats. Its time to address our vulnerabilities,” said Akin. “This bill is a step toward bolstering our defense against such threats.”
The bill authorizes funding for measures to protect Americans from bioterrorist attacks including:
• more than $1.5 billion in grants to states, local governments and other public an private health care facilities to improve planning and preparedness activities, enhance laboratory capacity, educate and train health care personnel
• $300 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to upgrade and renovate its facilities to deal with public health threats and additional funding, as needed, to improve CDC capabilities
• $1.15 billion for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to expand our current national stockpiles of medicines and other supplies, including the purchase of additional small pox vaccines
• $545 million for FDA and USDA to hire hundreds of new inspectors at our borders, develop new methods to detect contaminated foods
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