News
23 October 2001
Details of the Health and Human Services $1.5 Billion Bioterrorism Proposal
ADMINISTRATION PROPOSES $1.5 BILLION FOR BIOTERRORISM (10/18/01)
President Bush’s $20 billion emergency relief budget request that we reported yesterday includes $1.5 billion for HHS to further strengthen
the nation’s ability to respond to and treat potential bioterrorism attacks, HHS Secretary Thompson announced Wednesday.
The $1.5 billion emergency request is in addition to HHS’s regular fiscal year 2002 budget request of $345 million for bioterrorism. The total
request of $1.9 billion represents more than a six-fold increase above the $297 million Congress appropriated in fiscal year 2001 for HHS’s
bioterrorism preparedness efforts.
The $1.5 billion emergency budget request will support efforts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) and other HHS agencies, as well as state and local efforts. Key elements include:
Expanding the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile - $643 million
equivalent to protecting as many as 12 million people from potential anthrax exposure
will also increase other stockpiles of medical supplies
also would support state and local stockpiles and train state and local experts in the use of stockpiled supplies if needed.
Expanding smallpox vaccine supplies - $509 million
Accelerating the development of new bioterrorism tools - $34.6 million
will expedite the work of the FDA on bioterrorism vaccines, drug therapies, diagnostic tests and consultations with other
agencies and private industry.
Increasing state and local readiness - $175 million
$50 million for increased capacity at the nation’s hospitals and other health facilities in the event of any incident that could
potentially lead to mass casualties.
$50 million to bolster the Metropolitan Medical Response System
$10 million to support other local planning efforts
$40 million to support early detection surveillance to identify potential bioterrorism agents
$15 million to support increased capacity in up to an additional 45 state and local laboratories (for a total of 78); and
$10 million to increase the capacity for CDC and state and local laboratories to assess exposure to 150 hazardous chemical
agents through blood and urine tests.
Expanding HHS response capabilities - $88 million
includes $20 million for the CDC’s Rapid Response and Advance Technology and specialty labs; also,
$20 million to support additional specialized expert epidemiology teams to send to states and cities to rapidly respond to
public health risks, infectious diseases and other disaster-related needs, including Epidemic Intelligence Officers specifically
assigned to all 50 states.
Other resources will increase capacity in other HHS response programs; strengthen emergency communication for federal,
state and local governments during crisis situations; and improve global surveillance of infectious diseases, focusing on
potential terrorist agents.
Improving food safety - $61 million
will allow the FDA to hire 410 more inspectors, lab specialists and other compliance experts, in addition to allowing the FDA
to invest in new technology and scientific equipment to detect select agents.
In addition to the $1.5 billion emergency bioterrorism proposal, the administration has proposed an additional $84 million for other recovery
and non-bioterrorism efforts. This includes:
$20 million to replenish public health resources in New York
$39 million to improve security at HHS laboratories (in addition to $4.75 million announced Sept. 21 as a result of Congress’ earlier
emergency appropriation)
$15 million for emergency-response equipment; and
$10 million for social services activities (in addition to the $25 million released in the first round of emergency funding).
In a bioterrorism event, HHS has special responsibilities, including detecting the disease, investigating the outbreak, and providing
stockpiled drugs and emergency supplies in the large amounts needed.
Kristin E. Cormier Robinson
Government Relations Director
The National Emergency Management Association
The Hall of the States
Suite 401
Washington, D.C. 20001
Telephone: (202) 624-5459 Fax: (202) 624-5452