[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15934]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            PROTEIN SCIENCES

  (Ms. ESTY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, this shutdown is hurting families and 
businesses in my district and across the country. It must end.
  Protein Sciences in Meriden is a prime example of the many cutting-
edge businesses driving economic development in central Connecticut. 
Their mission is of critical importance to the entire Nation. For the 
last 30 years, they have been developing and producing lifesaving 
vaccines to treat and prevent a variety of diseases.
  The FDA previously approved Protein Sciences' Flublok vaccine for 18- 
to 49-year-olds, calling it a ``landmark in influenza vaccine 
history.'' But with FDA officials and employees now on furlough, 
Protein Sciences can't get approval for their revolutionary flu vaccine 
for Americans 50 years and older, increasing the chance that the 
vaccine won't be available for next year's flu season. The FDA and 
Protein Sciences can't fulfill their mission of saving lives because of 
the irresponsible shutdown.
  Mr. Speaker, let's come together to end this shutdown today to give 
businesses in all of our districts certainty and to ensure that 
businesses like Protein Sciences can get back to their work of keeping 
our families healthy and of saving lives.

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