Senate Approves Bill Aimed at Eradicating TB, Sends to President Bush

The Senate on Friday approved a measure (HR 1532) by voice vote that aims to eradicate tuberculosis, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports. The bill now goes to President Bush (AP/Houston Chronicle, 9/26). The measure, sponsored by Rep. Gene Green (D-Texas), would authorize $1.1 billion over five years for TB programs and create a national program aimed at eradicating TB through the use of new treatments and expanded health programs, CQ Today reports. The program would focus on monitoring TB cases and authorizing surveillance and treatment efforts along the U.S.-Mexico border. CDC and HHS would administer the programs (Armstrong, CQ Today, 9/29). In addition, the measure would support a three-part plan aimed at researching and developing new TB treatments, developing regional capabilities to prevent and treat TB, and providing TB education and training to health care providers (HR 1532 text, 9/29). The three-part plan was recommended by the Institute of Medicine (AP/Houston Chronicle, 9/26). Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) sponsored a companion bill in the Senate, CQ Today reports. According to CQ Today, Green and Hutchison have been concerned about the spread of TB along the U.S.-Mexico border. "The rate of [TB] in [Texas'] border communities is almost double compared to the state and national averages," Hutchison said. There were 13,293 TB cases in the U.S. in 2007, according to CDC statistics (CQ Today, 9/29).