DeLauro, House Democrats Unveil Comprehensive Plan to Combat Threat of Avian Flu

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

DeLauro, House Democrats Unveil Comprehensive Plan to Combat Threat of Avian Flu

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.-3) today joined House Democrats to unveil a comprehensive plan to combat the threat of avian flu. The plan takes a multi-pronged approach to fighting a potential pandemic by increasing international surveillance, boosting domestic supplies of vaccines and anti-viral medications, and strengthening the state and local public health infrastructures. Various organizations with first responders on the front lines of preventing this disease, including the Trust for America's Health, endorsed the plan.

The avian flu virus, also known as H5N1, has killed more than 70 people in Asia. This number could grow to the tens of millions if the virus mutates resulting in sustained human-to-human transmission. In the context of the growing spread of avian flu from Southeast Asia, to Eurasia, and now to the European Union, the possibility of a human pandemic increases.

"The idea that the United States could be as unprepared for an outbreak of avian flu as we were for Katrina or post-invasion Iraq is a terrifying thought," said DeLauro. "This disease poses an international threat to both animals and to humans. Fighting the threat of avian flu abroad means we do not have to do it here.

"The president's plan does not go far enough to address key areas of concern with avian flu. And with the Republican majority in Congress prepared to pare back that already-insufficient request by more than a third, it was necessary for Democrats in Congress to address these shortcomings in a meaningful way. That is why we have unveiled this plan today."

The House Democrats avian flu plan:
# Strengthens domestic vaccine production capacity.
# Prioritizes first responders and takes steps to protect the poultry workers.
# Jumpstarts a long-overdue global effort to detect and contain the flu pandemic.
# Incorporates legislation DeLauro introduced with Congresswoman Nita Lowey to track the disease in migratory birds.

"Stopping diseases like the avian flu is one of the most important responsibilities a government has," said DeLauro. "It is good to be with leaders in government who understand that."

http://www.house.gov/delauro/press/2005/December/dem_avian_flu_12_14_05.html