Hearing of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce - Germs, Viruses and Secrets

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Hearing of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce- Germs, Viruses and Secrets

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REP. MARSHA BLACKBURN (R-TN): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the hearing. And I will also -- since my late father-in- law was a Texas Aggie, I will express my welcome to Mr. Hammond also, and to any of the other Aggies that are in the audience.

I am delighted that we are having this hearing today. The hearing focuses on facilities that conduct research on specific infectious diseases, termed "select agents." The labs that conduct the research on these select agents are classified as either a Biosafety Level 3 or 4. Now, in Tennessee at the University of Tennessee there are a couple of different labs. One is in Memphis and one is in Oak Ridge. The UT Health Science Center in Memphis is currently constructing a new regional BSL-3 biocontainment lab. We are pleased with that facility and pleased with the progress that they have made on some of their biotechnology and the research that goes with that. This is something when I was in the state senate in Tennessee, I spent a good bit of time trying to help get off the ground, helping start the Biotechnology Association and the task force that helped feed energy into that when I was in the state senate.

We know that these facilities are working with materials that can potentially cause serious harm to humans and to animals, with some of the pathogens having no known cure. In today's world the threat of terrorism, as my good colleague has mentioned, is present. Not only could a terrorist potentially use one of the pathogens to harm the public, there's also the possibility that those wishing America harm could genetically alter these pathogens to form a new strain with no known cure. And while I understand that the research is clearly needed, we must also focus on the safety of those performing the research as well as the communities in which these labs and facilities are located.

I think we've all expressed concern with the way the -- (audio break) -- and knowing how many of these are actually available. We know that the NIH said there was 277 in '05, and today the number's estimated to be around 400.

I will echo also one of the things that my colleague was mentioning, the lack of communication between the agencies. When you look at the FDA, the CDC and the NIH, Mr. Chairman, we continue to hear, whether it's in Health Sub or here, the interagency as well as the intra-agency communication and collaboration and share of information seems to not be what we would like for it to be, especially when we're looking at something as delicate and as necessary as the type research we're talking about, and I hope that we have the opportunity to address some of that today.

I do want to welcome our witnesses today, as I said, especially any Aggies who are before us. I will join in welcoming them. I also look forward to hearing and engaging in the Q&A. And Mr. Chairman, I yield back my time.

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