Congress Could Approve Antibioterrorism Measure by Memorial Day

Antibioterrorism legislation could be approved and sent to President Bush before Congress adjourns for Memorial Day recess next week, lawmakers said May 16, the AP/Arizona Republic reports. A House-Senate conference working to reconcile differences between House and Senate versions of the bill has been "instructed to work diligently over the weekend" to reach a compromise, Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.) said. Both bills would cost about $3 billion and would increase vaccine stockpiles, establish an HHS assistant secretary for emergency preparedness, impose "greater controls over dangerous agents" stored in U.S. laboratories and increase FDA funding to hire more food inspectors. However, the bills differ on how to protect the nation's drinking water supply. The House version would have individual water system officials to assess their vulnerability to a bioterrorist attack and design emergency plans, while the Senate bill would require water systems to submit those contingency plans to the Environmental Protection Agency (AP/Arizona Republic, 5/17).