WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate passed a bill Tuesday intended to improve U.S. preparedness for bioterrorist attacks, epidemics and other public health emergencies in part by accelerating the development of new vaccines and drugs.
Aides to the bill's chief sponsors, Sens. Richard Burr, a North Carolina Republican, and Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, expressed hope the House would approve the Senate measure so it can be sent to President Bush to sign into law.
But time is running out, with Congress expected to adjourn within the next few days.
The measure would form within the Department of Health and Human Services a central authority to handle the initiative, while calling for additional money for research.
It also would build on the Project BioShield Act of 2004, a $5.6 billion program to counter biological and radioactive weapons, to accelerate advanced research and development of drugs and vaccines to protect the United States from health emergencies such as avian flu.
It would designate the HHS secretary as the lead federal official in charge of public health and medical preparedness and response during a public health emergency.
