[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 65 (Monday, May 20, 2002)]
[House]
[Pages H2610-H2614]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS RESEARCH, 
           EDUCATION, AND BIOTERRORISM PREVENTION ACT OF 2002

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3253) to amend title 38, United States Code, to 
provide for the establishment of emergency medical preparedness centers 
in the Department of Veterans Affairs, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3253

       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 ``Department of Veterans 
     Affairs Emergency Preparedness Research, Education, and Bio-
     Terrorism Prevention Act of 2002''.

     SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL PREPAREDNESS 
                   CENTERS.

       (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new section:

     ``Sec. 7325. Medical emergency preparedness centers

       ``(a) Establishment of Centers.--(1) The Secretary shall 
     establish at least four medical emergency preparedness 
     centers in accordance with this section. Each such center 
     shall be established at a Department medical center and shall 
     be staffed by Department employees.
       ``(2) The Under Secretary for Health shall be responsible 
     for supervising the operation of the centers established 
     pursuant to this section. The Under Secretary shall provide 
     for ongoing evaluation of the centers and their compliance 
     with the requirements of this section.
       ``(3) The Under Secretary shall carry out the Under 
     Secretary's functions under paragraph (2) in consultation 
     with the Assistant Secretary for Veterans Affairs with 
     responsibility for operations, preparedness, and security.
       ``(b) Mission.--The mission of the centers shall be--
       ``(1) to carry out research on and develop methods of 
     detection, diagnosis, vaccination, protection, and treatment 
     for chemical, biological, and radiological threats to the 
     public health and safety;
       ``(2) to provide education, training, and advice to health-
     care professionals, including health-care professionals 
     outside the Veterans Health Administration; and
       ``(3) to provide contingent rapid response laboratory 
     assistance and other assistance to local health care 
     authorities in the event of a national emergency.
       ``(c) Center Directors.--Each center shall have a Director 
     with (1) expertise in managing organizations that deal with 
     threats referred to in subsection (b), (2) expertise in 
     providing care to populations exposed to toxic substances, or 
     (3) significant research experience in those fields.
       ``(d) Selection of Centers.--(1) The Secretary shall select 
     the sites for the centers on the basis of a competitive 
     selection process and a finding under paragraph (2). The 
     centers selected shall be located in different regions of the 
     Nation, and any such center may be a consortium of efforts of 
     more than one medical center. At least one of the centers 
     shall be established to concentrate on chemical threats, at 
     least one shall be established to concentrate on biological 
     threats, and at least one shall be established to concentrate 
     on radiological threats.
       ``(2) The finding referred to in paragraph (1) with respect 
     to a proposal for designation of a site as a location of a 
     center under this section is a finding by the Secretary, upon 
     the recommendations of the Under Secretary for Health and the 
     Assistant Secretary with responsibility for operations, 
     preparedness, and security, that the facility or facilities 
     submitting the proposal have developed (or may reasonably be 
     anticipated to develop) each of the following:
       ``(A) An arrangement with a qualifying medical school and a 
     qualifying school of public health (or a consortium of such 
     schools) under which physicians and other persons in the 
     health field receive education and training through the 
     participating Department medical centers so as to provide 
     those persons with training in the diagnosis and treatment of 
     illnesses induced by exposures to toxins, including chemical 
     and biological substances and nuclear ionizing radiation.
       ``(B) An arrangement with an accredited graduate program of 
     epidemiology under which students receive education and 
     training in epidemiology through the participating Department 
     facilities so as to provide such students with training in 
     the epidemiology of contagious and infectious diseases and 
     chemical and radiation poisoning in an exposed population.
       ``(C) An arrangement under which nursing, social work, 
     counseling, or allied health personnel and students receive 
     training and education in recognizing and caring for 
     conditions associated with exposures to toxins through the 
     participating Department facilities.
       ``(D) The ability to attract scientists who have made 
     significant contributions to the development of innovative 
     approaches to the detection, diagnosis, vaccination, 
     protection, or treatment of persons exposed to chemical, 
     biological, or radiological substances.
       ``(3) For purposes of paragraph (2)(A)--
       ``(A) a qualifying medical school is an accredited medical 
     school that provides education and training in toxicology and 
     environmental health hazards and with which one or more of 
     the participating Department medical centers is affiliated; 
     and
       ``(B) a qualifying school of public health is an accredited 
     school of public health that provides education and training 
     in toxicology and environmental health hazards and with which 
     one or more of the participating Department medical centers 
     is affiliated.
       ``(e) Funding.--(1) Amounts appropriated for the activities 
     of the centers shall be appropriated separately from amounts 
     appropriated for the Department for medical care.
       ``(2) There are authorized to be appropriated for the 
     centers under this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal 
     years 2003 through 2007.
       ``(3) In addition to funds appropriated for a fiscal year 
     pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in paragraph 
     (2), the Under Secretary for Health shall allocate to such 
     centers from other funds appropriated for that fiscal year 
     generally for the Department of Veterans Affairs medical care 
     account and the Department of Veterans Affairs medical and 
     prosthetics research account such amounts as the Under 
     Secretary for Health determines appropriate to carry out the 
     purposes of this section. Any determination by the Under 
     Secretary under the preceding sentence shall be made in 
     consultation with the Assistant Secretary with responsibility 
     for operations, preparedness, and security.
       ``(f) Research Activities.--Each center shall conduct 
     research on improved medical preparedness to protect the 
     Nation from threats in the area of that center's expertise. 
     Each center may seek research funds from public and private 
     sources for such purpose.
       ``(g) Peer Review Panel.--(1) In order to provide advice to 
     assist the Secretary and the Under Secretary for Health to 
     carry out their responsibilities under this section, the 
     Under Secretary shall establish a peer review panel to assess 
     the scientific and clinical

[[Page H2611]]

     merit of proposals that are submitted to the Secretary for 
     the designation of centers under this section. The peer 
     review shall be established in consultation with the 
     Assistant Secretary with responsibility for operations, 
     preparedness, and security.
       ``(2) The peer review panel shall include experts in the 
     fields of toxicological research, bio-hazards management 
     education and training, radiology, clinical care of patients 
     exposed to such hazards, and other persons as determined 
     appropriate by the Secretary. Members of the panel shall 
     serve as consultants to the Department.
       ``(3) The panel shall review each proposal submitted to the 
     panel by the officials referred to in paragraph (1) and shall 
     submit to the Under Secretary for Health its views on the 
     relative scientific and clinical merit of each such proposal. 
     The panel shall specifically determine with respect to each 
     such proposal whether that proposal is among those proposals 
     which have met the highest competitive standards of 
     scientific and clinical merit.
       ``(4) The panel shall not be subject to the Federal 
     Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).
       ``(h) Research Products.--(1) The Under Secretary for 
     Health and the Assistant Secretary with responsibility for 
     operations, preparedness, and security shall ensure that 
     information produced by the research, education and training, 
     and clinical activities of centers established under this 
     section is made available, as appropriate, to health-care 
     providers in the United States. Dissemination of such 
     information shall be made through publications, through 
     programs of continuing medical and related education provided 
     through regional medical education centers under subchapter 
     VI of chapter 74 of this title, and through other means. Such 
     programs of continuing medical education shall receive 
     priority in the award of funding.
       ``(2) The Secretary shall ensure that the work of the 
     centers is conducted in close coordination with other Federal 
     departments and agencies and that research products or other 
     information of the centers shall be coordinated and shared 
     with other Federal departments and agencies.
       ``(i) Assistance to Other Agencies.--The Secretary may 
     provide assistance requested by appropriate Federal, State, 
     and local civil and criminal authorities in investigations, 
     inquiries, and data analyses as necessary to protect the 
     public safety and prevent or obviate biological, chemical, or 
     radiological threats.
       ``(j) Detail of Employees From Other Agencies.--Upon 
     approval by the Secretary, the Director of a center may 
     request the temporary assignment or detail to the center, on 
     a nonreimbursable basis, of employees from other Departments 
     and agencies of the United States who have expertise that 
     would further the mission of the center. Any such employee 
     may be so assigned or detailed on a nonreimbursable basis 
     pursuant to such a request. The duration of any such 
     assignment or detail shall be subject to approval by the 
     Office of Personnel Management.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
     item relating to section 7324 the following new item:

``7325. Medical emergency preparedness centers.''.

     SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--(1) Subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 
     38, United States Code, is amended by adding after section 
     7325, as added by section 2(a), the following new section:

     ``Sec. 7326. Emergency health and medical education

       ``(a) Education Program.--The Secretary shall carry out a 
     program to develop and disseminate a series of model 
     education and training programs on the medical responses to 
     the consequences of terrorist activities.
       ``(b) Implementing Entity.--The program shall be carried 
     out through the Under Secretary for Health, in consultation 
     with the Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs with 
     responsibility for operations, preparedness, and security.
       ``(c) Content of Programs.--The education and training 
     programs developed under the program shall be modelled after 
     programs established at the F. Edward Hebert School of 
     Medicine of the Uniformed Services University of the Health 
     Sciences and shall include, at a minimum, training for health 
     care professionals in the following:
       ``(1) Recognition of chemical, biological, and radiological 
     agents that may be used in terrorist activities.
       ``(2) Identification of the potential symptoms of those 
     agents.
       ``(3) Understanding of the potential long-term health 
     consequences, including psychological effects, resulting from 
     exposure to those agents.
       ``(4) Emergency treatment for exposure to those agents.
       ``(5) An appropriate course of followup treatment, 
     supportive care, and referral.
       ``(6) Actions that can be taken while providing care for 
     exposure to those agents to protect against contamination.
       ``(7) Information on how to seek consultative support and 
     to report suspected or actual use of those agents.
       ``(d) Potential Trainees.--In designing the education and 
     training programs under this section, the Secretary shall 
     ensure that different programs are designed for health-care 
     professionals at various levels. The programs shall be 
     designed to be disseminated to health professions students, 
     graduate health and medical education trainees, and health 
     practitioners in a variety of fields.
       ``(e) Consultation.--In establishing the education and 
     training program under this section, the Secretary shall 
     consult with appropriate representatives of accrediting, 
     certifying, and coordinating organizations in the field of 
     health professions education.''.
       (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter 
     is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
     7325, as added by section 2(b), the following new item:

``7326. Emergency health and medical education.''.

       (b) Effective Date.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall implement section 7326 of title 38, United States Code, 
     as added by subsection (a), not later than the end of the 90-
     day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this 
     Act.

     SEC. 4. INCREASE IN NUMBER OF ASSISTANT SECRETARIES OF 
                   VETERANS AFFAIRS.

       (a) Increase.--Subsection (a) of section 308 of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended by striking ``six'' in the 
     first sentence and inserting ``seven''.
       (b) Functions.--subsection (b) of such section is amended 
     by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(11) Operations, preparedness, security, and law 
     enforcement functions.''.
       (c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 5315 of title 5, United 
     States Code, is amended by striking ``(6)'' after ``Assistant 
     Secretaries, Department of Veterans Affairs'' and inserting 
     ``(7)''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Shows) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as the prime sponsor of H.R. 3253, as amended, I rise to 
urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this vital 
legislation that will expand the role of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs in homeland security.
  It may come as a surprise to many that the Department of Veterans 
Affairs operates the world's largest integrated health care network, 
with over 200,000 health care professionals, 163 medical centers, more 
than 800 outpatient clinics, 115 medical research programs, 
affiliations with over 100 schools of medicine, and a $25 billion 
budget annually.
  Dedicated to providing health care to America's military veterans, 
the VA is now the Federal Government's leading provider of direct 
medical services, with over 4.5 million patients treated last year. 
From providing top-quality medical care to veterans to performing 
comprehensive cutting-edge research, such as for prosthetics and 
Alzheimer's disease, the VA health care system has become a unique 
national resource and a unique national treasure.
  That is why we fought so hard to increase its health care budget for 
next year. With bipartisan support from our committee and with the 
leadership of the chairman of the Committee on the Budget, the 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nussle); the conference Chair, the gentleman 
from Oklahoma (Mr. Watts); the majority whip, the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. DeLay); the majority leader, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey); 
and our distinguished Speaker, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Hastert), I am pleased to say that the budget that passed the House 
increased the VA discretionary health care funding by a record $2.8 
billion for next year.
  However, there are still too many people who do not understand the 
capabilities of the VA health care system. I know from extensive 
research and from personal experience during the anthrax crisis that 
the VA is ready, willing, and able to play a significant role in 
homeland security; but it is often overlooked.
  When my post office in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, was attacked 
with anthrax, and is still closed, and many of the postal employees, in 
excess of 1,400 postal employees, were at risk of contracting that 
horrible disease, they were advised to take Cipro. The VA was there as 
a backup, ready to provide that life saving antibiotic. When I brought 
the VA's capabilities to the attention of the health commissioner. In 
New Jersey he was unaware of this important resource. I say with all 
respect to him, that this was a resource he could count on. And it 
should

[[Page H2612]]

not be that way. The VA should be much more integrated, and the 
knowledge of what the VA can do must be more widely utilized.
  The Cipro was finally made available. Thankfully, at the last minute, 
the CDC came through and we were able to provide Cipro, which was 
lifesaving to so many. But, Mr. Speaker, the VA health care system must 
be an integral component of any homeland security strategy, especially 
on matters of biological, chemical, and radiological threats and 
terrorism.
  In fact, the VA today does have some defined roles in both the 
National Disaster Medical System and the Federal Response Plan in the 
event of national emergencies. Among the VA's current specialized 
duties are conducting and evaluating disaster and terrorist attack 
simulation exercises; managing the Nation's stockpile for 
pharmaceuticals of biological and chemical toxins; maintaining a rapid 
response team for radiological releases; and training public and 
private EMS medical center personnel around the country and properly 
responding to biological, chemical, and radiological disasters.
  Yet despite the VA's capacity and unique capabilities, their 
experience and their expertise in public health matters, it is almost 
routinely overlooked when it comes to discussions of homeland security, 
even those concerning bioterrorism, which is, I believe, just plain 
foolish and counterproductive.
  Mr. Speaker, in the administration's budget submission, almost $6 
billion was requested to address bioterrorism, including $2.4 billion 
for additional research; yet not $1 was earmarked for the Veterans 
Administration. A month ago, I would just say parenthetically, we asked 
Tom Ridge to come and appear before our committee. He used to be a 
member. And like he has with all the other committees, he declined to 
come. But he too needs to be more aware of the VA's unique capabilities 
in this terrorism war.
  In fact, when we look at the administration's latest strategy 
document on homeland security, which can be found on their Web page, 
the VA is not even mentioned once. The VA can and must be asked to do 
more. That is why I introduced H.R. 3253, the legislation pending 
before the House.
  H.R. 3253 will create four national medical preparedness centers to 
be operated by the VA, with at least one concentrating on biological 
threats, at least one on chemical, and one on radiological threats. In 
coordination with DOD, Health and Human Services, FEMA, CDC, the NIH, 
and other agencies or organizations with appropriate expertise, these 
centers would research and develop new methods to detect, diagnose, 
vaccinate, and treat potential victims of chemical, biological, and 
radiological terrorism.
  The centers would serve both as direct research centers and as 
coordinating centers for ongoing and promising new research at other 
government agencies and research universities. Furthermore, these 
centers would serve as training resources for thousands of community 
hospitals that would be first responders to future bioterrorism 
attacks.
  Let me also point out that when anthrax hit my area, I was amazed, I 
was deeply dismayed that there was no protocol that could be taken off 
the shelf to prescribe what the course that ought to be followed in the 
event this happened. CDC was flying by the seat of their collective 
pants. Some very good scientists from CDC and other government agencies 
were deployed to New Jersey, and I sat in on some of those meetings. At 
first, they said no cross-contamination can occur. And I said, have you 
ever seen an envelope go through the processing machines? It is almost 
a violent procedure as it makes its way through. If you put a highly 
refined powder, in this case a weapons grade anthrax powder, surely a 
cloud of dust containing those harmful contaminants are likely to 
escape.
  Turns out, they did. A couple of weeks later, we found that other 
post offices were contaminated as well. Four of our area post offices 
were ``hot'' with Anthrax. My point? The experts need to move 
effectively work this issue, and we need to do it well in advance of 
any future contamination.
  Again, when we look at the threats that are possible--perhaps 
probable, and how do we deal with them, how do the first responders 
deal with them, the question arise as to whether we have worked with 
the kind of focus that will protect first responders, employees and 
then the public at large.
  Finally, let me just say that the centers would be charged with 
establishing state-of-the-art labs to help local health care 
authorities quickly determine the presence of dangerous biological and 
chemical toxins such as anthrax.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to make it clear that H.R. 3253 calls for the 
cost of these new centers to be taken from additional funds provided to 
combat terrorism and not from already hard-pressed VA health care 
dollars. Mr. Speaker, there is ample precedent and experience within 
the VA for undertaking this expanded mission. The VA's extensive 
medical research programs are renowned for expertise in diagnosing and 
treating viral diseases with devastating health consequences, such as 
groundbreaking work on HIV and hepatitis C.
  Just a couple months ago, Dr. Karl Hostetler and his VA colleagues in 
San Diego announced significant progress has been made on a new oral 
treatment for smallpox, one of the most deadly bio-terror threats 
confronting the world today.
  Furthermore, the VA already operates two war-related illness centers 
tasked with developing specialized treatments for illnesses and 
injuries related to combat. In essence, these new national medical 
preparedness centers would work similarly to study illnesses and 
injuries most likely to come from a terrorist attack and develop new 
treatments and protocols to mitigate their dangers.
  H.R. 3253 also contains important provisions from H.R. 3254, 
legislation authored by the chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight 
and Investigations, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer), to require 
the VA to work with military physicians to develop and disseminate 
education and training programs on the medical responses to the 
consequences of terrorist activities. Under this provision, the VA 
would also disseminate training programs to health professions, 
students, graduate medical education trainees, and active health 
practitioners.
  H.R. 3253 also contains an internal organizational provision proposed 
by the VA to add an additional Assistant Secretary for preparedness, 
security and law enforcement functions.
  Mr. Speaker, in the ongoing war on terrorism, America must take every 
precaution to protect our citizens from all dangers and especially from 
biological, chemical, and radiological threats. H.R. 3253 is just one 
way, I think it is an important way, to use the existing strength of 
the VA in homeland security while continuing to meet its primary 
mission of providing care to our veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3253, the Department of 
Veterans Affairs Emergency Preparedness Research, Education, and 
Bioterrorism Prevention Act of 2002. Many Members have contributed to 
the development of this important legislation. In particular, I want to 
commend our chairman, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith); the 
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) and the gentleman from California 
(Mr. Filner), the chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on 
Health; and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer).
  H.R. 3253, as amended, would establish at least four medical 
emergency preparedness centers in VA facilities. These centers would 
conduct research and develop methods to detect, diagnose, vaccinate, 
protect, and treat chemical, biological, and radiological threats to 
our public health and safety.
  Under H.R. 3253, the VA will also provide education, training and 
advice to health care professionals, including health care 
professionals outside the Veterans Health Administration on these 
matters. The VA will also provide rapid response laboratory assistance 
to local health care authorities.
  The VA is authorized to develop a series of model education and 
training programs on medical responses to the consequences of terrorist 
activities.

[[Page H2613]]

                              {time}  1415

  H.R. 3253 also increases the number of Assistant Secretaries within 
the VA from six to seven. The responsibilities of the new Assistant 
Secretary will include operations, preparedness, security, and law 
enforcement functions.
  This is sound legislation. This is sensible legislation. This is 
needed legislation. I urge my colleagues to strongly support this 
measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. SHOWS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Filner), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on 
Health.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time. I thank the chairman of the full committee, the gentleman from 
New Jersey (Mr. Smith), for his enthusiastic and incredible 
farsightedness in sponsoring this legislation which will set up, as we 
have heard, four new emergency medical preparedness centers within the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. These centers obviously expand what is 
already a leadership role in the areas of emergency preparedness, 
research, education and prevention of bioterrorism and is consistent 
with the challenges that VA is already meeting at both the local and 
national level.
  In the immediate aftermath of the events of September 11, the VA, of 
course, was front and center, contributing its expertise wherever 
possible, especially in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder 
in New York City and right here in our own backyard. VA research has 
long been recognized as ground breaking, with benefits that extend 
beyond our reach and improve the lives of veterans and countless 
others. As we have heard from our chairman at the VA medical center in 
my hometown of San Diego, they have found a promising treatment for 
smallpox. This kind of effort will save potentially thousands of lives 
and highlights the kind of contributions that the VA is already making 
to our public health and safety.
  We should take VA's existing infrastructure and strengths to even 
greater heights. That is what H.R. 3253 does. At earlier meetings of 
our subcommittee and committee, concerns were expressed whether the 
funding for these new centers would impinge on the funding of our 
already-strapped funds for our veterans and their medical and benefit 
needs now. I was glad to hear that the chairman has said that the cost 
of these centers will come from antiterrorist funds already 
appropriated.
  With that concern met, I think we should all vote for H.R. 3253. It 
will help us prepare for the future. Let us support this measure.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran), the distinguished 
chairman of the Subcommittee on Health.
  Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, since September 11, our Nation has 
been made to reevaluate every action we undertake on a daily basis. 
What we once considered a safe Nation has become a people concerned 
about security, and they look to Congress and the President for 
answers.
  With the bill we will pass today, H.R. 3253, the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs is challenging the Veterans Administration with the 
task to address some of our new concerns: to use a fraction of the 
assets of the Department of Veterans Affairs to help protect the people 
of the United States from terrorists.
  We will charge the administration with this task because we believe 
it is one that they can readily handle. We must be proactive in 
preparing the United States for a future terrorist attack. As our Vice 
President said just yesterday, ``The prospects of a future attack 
against the United States are almost certain. Not a matter of if but 
when. It could happen tomorrow, it could happen next week, it could 
happen next year, but they will keep trying.'' Those are sobering 
thoughts.
  We must respond in a timely, effective, and comprehensive manner to 
protect the American people if and when an attack occurs. This bill 
would do just that.
  Under this bill at least four geographically separated national 
medical emergency preparedness centers would be established. Each 
center would independently study and work toward solutions to health 
consequences that arise from exposure to chemical, biological, and 
nuclear substances used as weapons. What makes the VA a good host for 
such a new and important mission? In addition to meeting its medical 
care mission to millions of veterans, the VA health care system is the 
Nation's largest provider of graduate medical education and a major 
contributor to biomedical and other scientific research. Because of 
this widely dispersed, integrated health care system, the VA can be an 
essential asset in responding to national emergencies.
  Not only would the four special centers conduct research and develop 
methods of detection, diagnosis, vaccination, and treatment for 
chemical, biological, and radiological threats but they would also be 
charged with dissemination of the latest information to other public 
and private health care providers to improve the quality of care for 
patients who may be exposed to these deadly elements.
  This bill would also require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
carry out a program to develop and disseminate model education and 
training programs on the medical responses to terrorist activities. 
VA's infrastructure, which includes affiliations with over 107 medical 
schools and other schools of health professions, would enable current 
and future medical professionals in this country to be knowledgeable 
and medically competent in the treatment of casualties from terrorist 
attacks.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is a definite win-win proposition. The people 
who need to be trained in saving lives will be properly armed with 
current information and education. Mechanisms will be put in place to 
study the likely avenues and methods of chemical, biological, and 
radiological poisoning; and the VA will be a part of a firm foundation 
for rapid response by local and Federal officials in types of emergency 
that only 18 months ago we could have scarcely imagined.
  H.R. 3253 is a good bill, Mr. Speaker. I commend the gentleman from 
New Jersey for his efforts in this regard. I urge all my colleagues to 
support this effort and hope that it will pay a large dividend in our 
war on terrorism.
  Mr. SHOWS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3253, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaTourette). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Let me conclude and thank the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Shows) 
for managing the bill on the floor; I thank my good friend and 
colleague, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Health for his 
leadership; I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) for his 
leadership; and I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans) who is 
our ranking member. We have worked hand in glove on these veterans 
issues. It has been a delight to work with him on this important 
legislation.
  I also want to thank our staff. As we all know, Mr. Speaker, without 
the staff, committees would not function. They are hard working and 
very, very competent. They are professionals in every sense of that 
word. I want to thank Pat Ryan, our chief counsel and chief of staff; 
Kingston Smith; Jeannie McNally, who is our coordinator for 
legislation--by the way, it is her birthday, and I want to extend her a 
happy birthday--I also want to thank Summer Larson; John Bradley, who 
is the staff director for the subcommittee; Kimberly Cowins; Stacy 
Zelenski; Mike Durishin; Kathleen Grove; Art Wu; Veronica Crowe; 
Johnathan McKay; Bernadine Dotson; Andy Napoli; and Peter Dickinson; 
and others, all of whom played a vital role in this legislation. I hope 
I did not leave anyone out.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 
3253, the ``Department of Veterans Affairs Emergency

[[Page H2614]]

Preparedness Research, Education, and Bio-Terrorism Prevention Act of 
2002,'' introduced by Chairman Chris Smith. As a cosponsor of this 
legislation, I want to thank Chairman Smith for his leadership in 
moving this legislation forward.
  H.R. 3253 will establish at least four medical emergency preparedness 
centers at designated VA medical centers. These centers will be charged 
with carrying out research related to bio-terrorist activities such as 
the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of chemical, biological, and 
radiological threats posed by these agents.
  Section 3 incorporates legislation that I introduced--H.R. 3254, the 
``Medical Education for National Defense (MEND) Act in the 21st 
Century.'' I want to thank Chairman Smith for incorporating this 
language into H.R. 3253. I also want to thank the members who 
cosponsored my original piece of legislation, Chairman Smith, and 
Representatives Michael Bilirakis, John McHugh, Vic Snyder, Cliff 
Stearns, Dave Weldon, Robert Underwood, Mark Kirk, and Ellen Tauscher.
  This provision would establish an education program to be carried out 
through the Department of Veterans Affairs. The education and training 
curriculum developed under the program shall be modeled after the F. 
Edward Herbert School of Medicine of the Department of Defense's 
Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS) core 
curriculum, which includes a program that teaches its students how to 
diagnose and treat casualties that have been exposed to chemical, 
biological, or radiological agents.
  As a nation, we must be prepared for the new face of terror as we 
confront the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. What has become 
all too clear is that our health care providers are neither resourced 
nor trained with the proper tools to diagnose and treat casualties in 
the face of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.
  It is imperative that a program be disseminated to the nation's 
medical professionals and current medical students. This bill takes 
advantage of the nexus that already exists between the medical 
education community and the VA. Currently, 107 medical universities are 
affiliated with a VA medical center. This nexus is already in place and 
that is what we plan to tap into.
  The VA's extensive infrastructure of 163 medical centers, 800 
clinics, and satellite broadcast capabilities, will enable the current 
and future medical professionals in this country to become 
knowledgeable and medically competent in the treatment of casualties 
that we all hope they will never materialize.
  Mr. Speaker, we cannot afford to assume that our country will never 
again experience a biological, chemical, or radiological attack on the 
American people. We must, as elected Members, sent by our constituents 
to Washington to represent their interests, act to ensure that if the 
worst of fears are realized, our medical professionals will be ready 
and able to deal with these situations.
  It is not the intent of this legislation to create new community 
standards of practice. We must recognize that diseases such as 
smallpox, botulism, and the plague are not normally seen around the 
country. I think it is extremely important that we disseminate the 
expertise that we have, so that doctors, in their diagnostic analysis, 
begin to think about other things from what they normally see in their 
family practices.
  The American Medical Association endorsed H.R. 3254, and the American 
Association of Medical Colleges has thrown its full weight behind this 
plan. These two organizations know how vital it is to receive an 
educational curriculum, and they have recognized that the VA is in a 
unique position to be able to disseminate this information to the 
Nation's medical community.
  It is often said that knowledge is power, and in this instance 
nothing could be truer. The knowledge resulting from the implementation 
of this act is critical. Our medical professionals need to be exposed 
to training methods that would enable them to save lives . . . and I 
can think of no greater power than that.
  Please, join with me and support this important piece of legislation.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to lend my voice to the 
National Medical Emergency Preparedness Act.
  This bill directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish up 
to four medical emergency preparedness centers within VA medical 
centers. These preparedness centers are established to research 
diagnosis and treatment for any chemical, biological, and radiological 
threats to public health and safety. In addition, these centers will 
train and advise as well as educate health-care professionals about 
chemical, biological, and radiological threats to public health and 
safety.
  This bill would authorize $20 million a year over the 2003-2007 
period to operate these centers. As part of the requirement to provide 
education and training, this bill would require the Department of 
Veterans Affairs to carry out a joint program with the Department of 
Defense (DoD) to develop and disseminate a series of training programs 
on the medical responses to terrorist activities. This bill would 
increase the number of Assistant Secretaries within the Department of 
Veteran Affairs from six to seven with the new assistant secretary 
being responsible for operations, preparedness, security, and law 
enforcement functions. As a member of the Democratic Caucus Homeland 
Security Task Force, I believe our focus should continue to promote 
effective homeland preparedness and security.
  The CBO estimates that implementing this bill would cost $12 million 
in this FY2003 and $87 million over the period 2003-2007. This bill 
would not affect direct spending or receipts, pay-as-you-go procedures 
would not apply.
  The Department of Veterans Affairs operates the nation's largest 
integrated health care network with over 200,000 health care 
professionals, 163 medical centers, 800 outpatient clinics, 115 medical 
research centers, affiliations with more than 100 medical schools and 
has a $25 billion annual budget.
  The VA medical centers are dedicated to providing health care to U.S. 
military veterans. VA is the federal government's leading provider of 
direct medical services. The VA medical centers has treated more than 
3.4 million patients in 2001.
  The VA also operates two War-Related Illness Centers responsible for 
developing specialized treatments for illnesses and injuries resulting 
from veterans' wartime exposures, and through its extensive medical and 
prosthetic research and clinical care programs the department has 
expertise in diagnosing and treating dangerous viral or bacterial 
illnesses, such as hepatitis C, human immuno deficiency virus (HIV), 
and in earlier generations, tuberculosis.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3253.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 3253, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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