[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1548 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1548

To allow the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
  to award a grant to create and maintain a website with information 
                        regarding bioterrorism.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 15, 2001

 Mrs. Carnahan introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To allow the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
  to award a grant to create and maintain a website with information 
                        regarding bioterrorism.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Bioterrorism Awareness Act''.

SEC. 2. BIOTERRORISM WEBSITE.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (referred to in this section as the ``Director'') shall 
award a grant to 1 entity to create and maintain the official Federal 
Government website containing comprehensive information about 
bioterrorism.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the website referred to in subsection 
(a) is to create an integrated website that serves as the official 
Federal Government source of information for the public and targeted 
populations containing accurate, scientifically-based information about 
bioterrorism.
    (c) Duration.--The grant awarded under this section shall extend 
for a period of 3 years. If the entity receiving such grant desires to 
extend such grant beyond the 3-year period, such entity may submit an 
application to the Director for an extension of 2 years.
    (d) Qualifications.--In awarding the grant under this section, the 
Director shall select an entity that has demonstrated successful 
experience in--
            (1) research on bioterrorism and public health;
            (2) development of websites and distribution of 
        information; and
            (3) working with Federal Government agencies.
    (e) Deadline.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this section, the entity awarded the grant under this section shall 
create the website described in this section.
    (f) Consultation.--The entity awarded a grant under this section 
shall receive the approval of the Director, or its designee, prior to 
the placement of information on the website. In approving information 
to be included in the website, the Director, or designee, shall 
consult, where appropriate, with representatives of--
            (1) the Department of Defense; 
            (2) the Department of Justice;
            (3) the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
            (4) the Department of Agriculture;
            (5) the Department of Health and Human Services;
            (6) the Department of Labor;
            (7) the Environmental Protection Agency; and
            (8) any other Federal agency that has jurisdiction over 
        bioterrorism.
    (g) Content.--The website referred to in subsection (a) shall 
contain scientifically-based information regarding--
            (1) the definition of bioterrorism;
            (2) the potential consequences of bioterrorism and other 
        risks associated with bioterrorism;
            (3) how to recognize physical symptoms that may result from 
        a bioterrorist attack;
            (4) what the public can do to prepare for a bioterrorist 
        attack;
            (5) how parents can talk to their children about 
        bioterrorism;
            (6) how teachers can talk to their students about 
        bioterrorism, including science teachers;
            (7) how farmers and other personnel involved in the 
        Nation's food supply system may protect themselves, their 
        livestock, and the Nation's food supply in the case of a 
        bioterrorist attack;
            (8) chemical warfare, and the differences between 
        bioterrorism and chemical warfare;
            (9) vaccines for possible terrorist agents that are 
        available to the public, including information regarding the 
        availability and effectiveness of such vaccines; and
            (10) other situations or consequences of bioterrorism, or 
        any other information, that the entity, with the approval of 
        the Director or its designee, determines should be included.
    (h) Organization.--The website referred to in subsection (a) shall 
contain targeted sections with specific information for--
            (1) health care professionals, public health professionals, 
        pharmacists, personnel working in laboratories, veterinarians, 
        and individuals in business and industry;
            (2) children, parents, and teachers (including age-
        appropriate educational material); and
            (3) farmers and other individuals involved in the Nation's 
        food supply.
    (i) Links.--The website referred to in subsection (a) shall contain 
links to appropriate State and local agencies.
    (j) Use of Funds.--The entity that receives the grant awarded under 
this section shall use funds received through such grant to--
            (1) create and maintain the website on bioterrorism as 
        described in this section;
            (2) consult with public and private entities in the 
        gathering of essential information regarding bioterrorism, and 
        any other experts who may provide pertinent information 
        regarding bioterrorism;
            (3) continually update the website with the most up-to-date 
        information regarding bioterrorism;
            (4) consult State and local representatives regarding how 
        to develop links to State and local agencies;
            (5) develop and implement a marketing strategy to raise 
        public awareness about the availability of the website; and
            (6) make the information on the website available for sale 
        to the public, at cost, in alternative forms such as CD Roms 
        and printed materials.
    (k) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, $3,000,000 for fiscal year 
2002, $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2003, 2004, 2005, and 
2006, and such sums as may be necessary for subsequent fiscal years.
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