[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 173 (Thursday, December 13, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2285-E2286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      PUBLIC HEALTH SECURITY AND BIOTERRORISM RESPONSE ACT OF 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. TED STRICKLAND

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 11, 2001

  Mr. STRICKLAND. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Tauzin 
and Ranking Member Dingell for their hard work on a significant step 
towards this country's ability to strongly defend itself against 
bioterrorist threats. The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism 
Response Act of 2001 makes important progress toward effective planning 
and preparedness by our public health system for a bioterrorist attack 
and the security of our food and water supplies.
  I am pleased that the bill includes direct funding of giants that 
will help our state and

[[Page E2286]]

local public health departments implement emergency response plans, 
educate health care personnel, and equip the first responders in our 
emergency rooms and police and fire departments. The bill will do much 
to make sure our food supply is protected from attempts at 
contamination by increasing inspection and tightening port security; it 
also ensures that we have the tools to investigate any suspected 
contamination of the food supply by the increasing record keeping and 
requiring registration by the food industry.
  While I support the legislation we are considering today, I look 
forward to future work on bioterrorism legislation that will expand on 
this bill. We must require country of origin labeling at the retail 
level so that consumers can know the source of retail food offerings 
and consider that knowledge when selecting their purchases. We should 
ensure that we enact common sense requirements to protect our food 
supply that are responsible, not overly burdensome. We must expand on 
provisions in this bill to facilitate the development, production, and 
distribution of vaccinations that could protect our population against 
either an intentional bioterrorist attack or the devastating spread of 
an infectious disease. I believe we should create a national vaccine 
authority, as recommended by the National Academy of Sciences, to 
coordinate and aid in these efforts. Finally, we must continue to 
listen to those who will be on the front lines of any bioterrorist 
attack, including the doctors and nurses in emergency rooms, hospitals, 
and health centers and the members of fire and other emergency rescue 
teams, and help their local communities to meet their needs, 
restricting federal programs to coordination of these crucial local 
resources.
  Again, I support this legislation and thank my colleagues for their 
work in crafting it.

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