Brooks Applauds Call for Reforms to Strengthen America's Ability to Confront Biological Threats

Statement

Following yesterday's release of the first comprehensive examination of U.S. biodefense efforts in over a decade by the bipartisan Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense, Congresswoman Susan W. Brooks (R-IN) released the following statement:

"As the events of last year's Ebola outbreak suggest, America is not only vulnerable to current and emerging biothreats, but is woefully unprepared to defend against the next pandemic outbreak or bioterrorism attack. We must act now to bolster our capacity to respond to these events so that we can quickly and effectively mobilize our resources in the future. This includes ensuring that vaccines and medicine are developed and available when disaster strikes."

"I commend the Panel's extensive and thoughtful work on this report and the effort that went into crafting these 33 tangible recommendations and action items for Congress and the Administration to implement in order to strengthen our nation's biodefense capabilities. The MESH Coalition of Indiana contributed significantly to the recommendations, and I appreciate their involvement in the Panel's work. I am pleased as well that there are strong ties between this report and my efforts in Congress, specifically the inclusion of a number of recommendations reflected in legislation I introduced earlier this year, the Strengthening Public Health Emergency Response Act of 2015. Specifically, the Panel's work underscores the critical importance of refocusing, from the top-down, our nation's biodefense priorities by reforming the drug acquisition process and incentivizing research into combatting the next deadly disease to ensure that the necessary medical countermeasures are available in order to better respond to the next pandemic outbreak or biothreat."

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