[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 141 (Tuesday, October 31, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CARDIAC ARREST SURVIVAL ACT OF 2000

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                               speech of

                            HON. TOM BLILEY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 26, 2000

  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 2498, the Public 
Health Improvement Act of 2000. This package, referred to by many as 
the ``minibus,'' is composed of a number of different, but all very 
worthy, proposals designed to improve our public health infrastructure.
  The first title of the bill, the Public Health Threats and 
Emergencies Act, strengthens the nation's capacity to detect and 
respond to serious public health threats, including bioterrorist 
attacks and disease-causing microbes that are resistant to antibiotics. 
Few things are more important than the ability to quickly and 
effectively respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases and 
bioterrorism.
  Also in the bill, thanks to the good work of the Chairman of the 
Health Subcommittee, Mr. Bililrakis, is the Twenty-First Century 
Research Laboratories Act. This bill responds to the fact that while 
our nation possesses the best research institutions in the world, the 
infrastructure of many of these facilities is outdated and inadequate. 
The bill authorizes the NIH to make grants to build, expand, remodel 
and renovate our nation's research facilities.
  The bill contains a number of other meritorious provisions. We reform 
the certification process for organ procurement organizations, 
providing them with due process and better performance-based measures; 
we provide better support for our nation's clinical researchers, so 
that we continue to attract and retain leaders in patient-oriented 
research; and we require the NIH to enhance research efforts for Lupus, 
Alzheimer's Disease, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
  I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the hard work of my colleague, 
the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Stearns, on the Cardiac Arrest Survival 
Act, which is critical life-saving legislation. Sudden cardiac arrest 
kills more than 250,000 Americans every year. Many of these lives could 
be saved by immediate defibrillation. In our Committee investigations, 
we found that counties with defibrillation programs were able to save 
up to 57% of cardiac arrest victims. The legislation by Mr. Stearns 
would protect good Samaritans who use defibrillators to help save the 
lives of our fellow Americans. It also encourages widespread use of 
defibrillators by removing the threat of unlimited and abusive 
lawsuits, and by establishing guidelines for the placement of 
defibrillators in Federal buildings.
  In conclusion, I must note the hard work that went into this bill on 
both sides of the aisle, and in both bodies. This bill could not have 
been finalized without the dedication and efforts of Senator Bill Frist 
and my colleague Mike Bilirakis, and they are to be saluted, as is the 
minority. This is a good bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

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