FUNDING LEVELS, ANTI-TERRORISM PROVISIONS STAND IN WAY OF BIODEFENSE COMPROMISE BILL
The Senate is attempting to enact biodefense protections before Congress recesses this week, but faces the daunting task of getting the House to agree to the language.
The Senate passed its biodefense legislation, S.3678, Dec. 5, but lawmakers face two obstacles to work out with the House-passed version: different funding levels and agreement on bioterrorism provisions, a Senate staffer said. There is no time for a conference committee to hammer out differences between S.3678 and the House version, H.R.5533, the source said, meaning the House must adopt the Senate version in its entirety before Congress adjourns for the year this week for the bill to become law.
The Senate bill, the "Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act," attempts to improve federal and state responses to both natural and man-made health crises by clarifying HHS' role, setting uniform state preparedness standards and accelerating emergency response activities. The legislation places HHS in charge of the nation's response to these threats and requires the development of a national health security strategy that will be submitted to Congress every four years, beginning in 2009.
But the Senate is seeking considerably more in authorizations for biodefense. The Senate bill requests $1 billion in funding, while the House seeks $320 million, an industry source said. The Senate also includes specific bioterrorism provisions, such as a requirement for a vaccine tracking system, which the House version lacks, the Senate source added. A House source declined to comment, citing the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
Industry officials, who originally had misgivings about biodefense legislation, supported the Senate bill. Groups such as the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) have wanted liability protections and guaranteed government purchases as part of legislation. BIO is "very satisfied" with S.3678 because there are adequate liability protections and a milestone payment system so companies get the funds to cover their costs, the industry source said.