HHS Working ‘Literally Around the Clock’ to Strengthen Public Health System in Attack Aftermath

In three weeks of "heightened awareness" since the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson has been dealing with "immediate and long-term" preparation for a potential biological or chemical attack, the Washington Post reports. On Oct. 3, Thompson will go before a Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Subcommittee hearing on bioterrorism. Making an "aggressive push for much more [money], much faster," Thompson is seeking $1 billion from Congress to tighten security at government labs, train medical personnel across the country to detect the signs of a biological attack and "give the Food and Drug Administration the power" to fast-track the approval of a new smallpox vaccine. In addition, Thompson wants the Pentagon to provide extra hospital beds "in the event of an outbreak" and to position a "federally funded" epidemic expert in each state. Thompson said, "We can never be absolutely certain that this is all behind us, that there's a possibility there could be more. In taking that into consideration, I want to be darn sure that the sector I'm responsible for is protected." The Post reports that these proposals have been circulating "for a few years," but the Bush administration's original FY 2002 budget had "called for just" $350 million for HHS anti-bioterrorism efforts. Also at the Oct. 3 hearing, Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) will "outline" their $1.8 billion plan for "immediat[e]" bioterrorism efforts, which includes a $625 million provision for state and local health agencies "likely to be the first to respond in the event of a biological attack" (Connolly, Washington Post, 10/3).