[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 155 (Monday, August 12, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52491-52492]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-20275]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Secretary's Council on Public Health Preparedness; Notice of 
Meeting

    Pursuant to section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as 
amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), notice is given of a meeting of the 
Secretary's Council on Public Health Preparedness.
    The purpose of this public meeting is to convene the Council to 
discuss issues related to preparing the nation to respond to public 
health emergencies in general and bioterrorism in particular. Major 
areas to be considered by the Council at this meeting may include the 
following: DHHS bioterrorism preparedness and response programs, 
oversight of states' preparedness programs, lessons from the anthrax 
experience, the research and development agenda, development of new 
products (against bioterrorism), public health emergency response 
planning, and pre-epidemic vaccination plans.


[[Page 52492]]


    Name of Committee: Secretary's Council on Public Health 
Preparedness.
    Date: August 26-27, 2002.
    Time: August 26, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; August 27, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
    Place: Loews L'Enfant Plaza Hotel (Ballroom), 480 L'Enfant 
Plaza, SW., Washington, DC 20024, Telephone: (202) 484-100.
    Contact Person: Lily Engstrom, Executive Director, Secretary's 
Council on Public Health Preparedness, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness, 200 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Room 638G, Washington, DC 20201, 202-690-6750.
    Supplementary Information: The Secretary's Council on Public 
Health Preparedness was established on October 22, 2001 by the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services under the authorization of 
section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d); 
section 222 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 217a). The 
purpose of the Secretary's Council on Public Health Preparedness 
will be to advise the Secretary on appropriate actions to prepare 
for and respond to public health emergencies, including acts of 
bioterrorism. The function of the Council is to advise the Secretary 
regarding steps that the U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services can take to (1) improve the public health and health care 
infrastructure to better enable Federal, State, and local 
governments to respond to a public health emergency and, 
specifically, a bioterrorism event; (2) ensure that there are 
comprehensive contingency plans in place at the Federal, State, and 
local levels to respond to a public health emergency and, 
specifically, a bioterrorism event; and (3) improve public health 
preparedness at the Federal, State, and local levels.

Public Participation

    The meeting is open to the public with attendance limited by the 
availability of space on a first come, first served basis. Members 
of the public who wish to attend the meeting may register by e-
mailing [email protected] no later than close of 
business, Wednesday, August 21, 2002.
    Opportunities for oral statements by the public will be provided 
on August 26, 2002, from 5 p.m. -5:30 p.m. (Time approximate). Oral 
comments will be limited to five minutes, three minutes to make a 
statement and two minutes to respond to questions from Council 
members. Due to time constraints, only one representative from each 
organization will be allotted time for oral testimony. The number of 
speakers and the time allotment may also be limited by the number of 
registrants. Members of the public who wish to present oral comments 
at the meeting may register by e-mailing 
[email protected] no later than close of business, 
Monday, August 19, 2002. All requests to present oral comments 
should include the name, address, telephone number, and business or 
professional affiliation of the interested party, and should 
indicate the areas of interest or issue to be addressed.
    Any person attending the meeting who has not registered to speak 
in advance of the meeting will be allowed to make a brief oral 
statement during the time set aside for public comment if time 
permits and at the Chairperson's discretion. Individuals unable to 
attend the meeting, or any interested parties, may send written 
comments by e-mail to [email protected] for inclusion in 
the public record no later than close of business, Wednesday, August 
21, 2002.
    When mailing written comments, please provide your comments, if 
possible, as an electronic version or on a diskette. Persons needing 
special assistance, such as sign language interpretation or other 
special accommodations, should e-mail staff at 
[email protected] no later than close of business, 
Monday, August 19, 2002.
    Because of the need to provide advice and recommendations on 
bioterrorism, this notice is being provided at the earliest possible 
time.

    Dated: August 5, 2002.
LaVerne Y. Stringfield,
Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy.
[FR Doc. 02-20275 Filed 8-9-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M