[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 47 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 47

Recognizing the importance of biosecurity and agrodefense in the United 
                                States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 10, 2011

    Mr. Roberts (for himself and Mr. Moran) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, 
                        Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the importance of biosecurity and agrodefense in the United 
                                States.

Whereas following the attacks of September 11, 2001, the Nation took notice of 
        the global threat of terrorism;
Whereas the new reality after the attacks of September 11, 2001, led to an 
        increase of resources focused on combating attack from the enemies of 
        the United States;
Whereas Congress established the Department of Homeland Security in 2002 with 
        the intent of meeting the challenges plaguing our Nation;
Whereas the attacks made visible the vulnerability of our food supply and 
        agriculture economy;
Whereas the President of the United States issued a Homeland Security Directive 
        entitled the ``Defense of United States Agriculture and Food'' on 
        January 30, 2004;
Whereas the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Department 
        of Agriculture recognized the challenges of agroterrorism early on;
Whereas the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction 
        Proliferation and Terrorism assessed in its 2008 report entitled ``World 
        At Risk'', ``the U.S. government has invested most of its 
        nonproliferation efforts and diplomatic capital in preventing nuclear 
        terrorism. The Commission believes that it should make the more likely 
        threat--bioterrorism--a higher priority. Only by elevating the priority 
        of the biological weapons threat will it be possible to bring about 
        substantial improvements in global biosecurity''; and
Whereas the threat of attack from the enemies of the United States continues and 
        there is much remaining work: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) while the United States continues to combat terrorism 
        in all forms around the world, the safety, security, and health 
        of our livestock and agriculture commodities must not be 
        forgotten;
            (2) research and investment in biosecurity and biosafety 
        should remain a top priority for Congress;
            (3) providing the resources, both intellectually and 
        materially, for the advancement of vaccines and hopeful 
        eradication of deadly pathogens and emerging zoonotic disease 
        is an integral part of providing homeland defense;
            (4) a laboratory capable of handling such deadly diseases 
        is necessary to meet the demand for such resources, and such 
        laboratory should be constructed to the highest standards of 
        safety and security, and should meet the requirements of a 
        biosafety level 4 laboratory;
            (5) without the tools necessary to protect the citizens, 
        agriculture economy, and food supply of the United States, the 
        United States remains vulnerable to attack and chaos;
            (6) the world depends on the food and fiber that the United 
        States produces;
            (7) the world depends on the leadership of the United 
        States in science and technology;
            (8) the United States must remain the leader in the fight 
        against bioterrorism; and
            (9) biosecurity and agrodefense are achievable goals for 
        the United States in the global war on terrorism.
                                 <all>