[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6499]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 ON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE GLOBAL TRADE REQUIRES UNMITIGATED TRUTH IN 
                           HEALTH (TRUTH) ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 27, 2006

  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, in November 2005, President Bush announced a 
``National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza'', which contained plans 
``to prepare our nation, and our world to fight this potentially 
devastating outbreak of infectious disease.'' Clearly, our government 
must develop and implement thorough plans to detect, respond to and 
recover from an avian flu pandemic in the event that an outbreak occurs 
in the United States. However, our country cannot effectively combat 
avian flu unilaterally. That is why today I am introducing the Global 
Trade Requires Unmitigated Truth in Health, TRUTH, Act, a bill that 
seeks to address global health risks in an era of unprecedented 
international commerce that has created enormous opportunities while 
also speeding the spread of communicable diseases.
  As global trade increases the number of products crossing 
international borders at faster rates, we also see an increase in 
harmful and dangerous diseases flying across our borders. With mounting 
concerns surrounding avian flu and recent experience with Severe Acute 
Respiratory Syndrome, SARS, governments have not only the right but the 
responsibility to protect their countries from the threat of disease.
  Because avian flu cases have been confirmed in Asia, Europe and the 
Middle East and the ease of international travel increases the chances 
that avian flu could emerge in our country, our health officials need 
the latest epidemiological data as soon as cases are confirmed abroad. 
The Global TRUTH Act will ensure that all countries that participate in 
global trade are also good citizens when it comes to protecting the 
global public health.
  The SARS outbreak in Asia in 2002 and 2003 highlighted the inherent 
dangers in delayed reporting of public health risks for the supposed 
benefit of international trade. When a country is reluctant to 
publicize early cases of disease for fear of such an announcement's 
economic effects, that disease is allowed to spread. In order to 
maintain a system of global public health preparedness, we should 
enshrine fundamental public health preparedness principles in the 
international trading system, including the World Trade Organization, 
WTO.
  Unfortunately, press reports have indicated that Indonesian officials 
covered up and then neglected the spreading bird flu in Indonesia for 2 
years until it began to infect humans. According to an Indonesian 
microbiologist, the Indonesian government could have eradicated its 
emerging avian flu outbreak if it had acted sooner. Moreover, 
Indonesia's national director of animal health admitted that Indonesian 
government officials did not set aside money to vaccinate poultry 
against the disease this year, despite assurances that such vaccination 
would be a principal component of the government's avian flu 
containment plan. Vietnam and China also reportedly failed to take 
steps that could have contained the virus in Asia.
  As noted by the Indonesian microbiologist who first identified the 
flu virus in the country's bird population, failure of the Indonesian 
government to take prompt action to stamp out avian flu inside the 
country's borders has deadly consequences far beyond them. Two years 
ago when it was revealed that Chinese officials had covered up the 
existence of SARS inside their country, I urged President Bush to link 
international trade benefits to international cooperation on public 
health issues that transcend national boundaries. China eventually 
responded to international pressure by permitting World Health 
Organization, WHO, officials to investigate in the affected provinces, 
but, according to then-Health land Human Services Secretary Tommy 
Thompson, ``If Chinese authorities had reported cases in the beginning 
of the epidemic, the impact of SARS on the international health and 
economy would likely have been substantially more limited.''
  The avian flu outbreak spreading through Asia and Europe presents 
serious public health challenges for our government and nations around 
the world. Prevention and containment of infectious diseases are only 
possible if governments report outbreaks immediately, permit medical 
researchers to investigate cases, and take protective measures such as 
vaccinations and quarantines, where appropriate.
  In order to both achieve vital public health goals and continue the 
spread of international trade, the Global TRUTH Act directs the U.S. 
Trade Representative to submit a proposal to the World Trade 
Organization, WTO, that states that the WTO take into account whether 
countries are undermining the international trading system through a 
failure to comply with the WHO's International Health Regulations. The 
Global TRUTH Act directs the U.S. Trade Representative to propose that 
the WTO should enforce strong public health considerations by imposing 
sanctions or other punitive measures on members who are found to 
violate the International Health Regulations as well as requiring all 
member countries to abide by rules of other international organizations 
with regard to public health. By requiring countries to follow the 
regulations of the WHO in order to be a member of the WTO, we will link 
the related goals of improved global public health and increased global 
trade.
  The Global TRUTH Act also requires the Department of Health and Human 
Services to prepare an animal ``Global Public Health Assessment'', 
modeled on the State Department's country-by-country human rights 
reports. The purpose of the assessment is to report to Congress on the 
status of compliance with and observance of the International Health 
Regulations in each country that is a member of the World Health 
Organization.
  The Global TRUTH Act is an important tool in the improvement of 
global public health standards and the ever- growing international 
marketplace. Louis Pasteur famously said, ``Chance favors the prepared 
mind.'' Early detection is critical to the success of our Nation's 
avian flu preparedness plans. By working simultaneously to decrease 
global public health risks and remove a potential roadblock from 
international trade, the Act will ensure that international trade 
decisions are not made at the expense of public health, thus allowing 
for safer trade and a safer, healthier global community.

                          ____________________