Strong Bill to Safeguard Americans from Bioterrorism Passes House

WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed Representative Dale W. Strong's DHS Biodetection Improvement Act, marking the third bill led by the Congressman to pass the House just this week.

The DHS Biodetection Improvement Act, H.R. 706, would strengthen U.S. biodefense by ensuring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is prepared to counter bioterrorism threats.

"The threats we face today are increasingly complex and evolving. It is important that we stay one step ahead of our adversaries. This will improve the effectiveness of DHS's mission to protect our national security and safeguard our interests," said Representative Dale Strong.

Following the 2001 anthrax attacks, DHS launched the BioWatch program to monitor, collect, and test air samples for biological threats; however, breakdowns in accurate and timely information sharing and lagging technological upgrades show that DHS has fallen behind.

"As a first responder, I know there is more work to be done to harden our defenses against bioterrorism. This legislation will ensure DHS is utilizing every possible tool to protect Americans," said Strong.

Earlier this week, the House of Representatives passed two pieces of legislation introduced by Rep. Strong to improve DHS's mission to protect our national security and safeguard American interests.

H.R. 708, the SHIELD Against CCP Act, would establish a dedicated DHS working group to counter threats from the Chinese Communist Party. It passed the House on March 10 by a vote of 410 to 1.

H.R. 901, the Research Security and Accountability in DHS Act, would require DHS to implement policies to safeguard sensitive research and development projects and prevent unauthorized access to, and disclosure of, such information. It passed the House unanimously on March 10.

"The Biden Administration's reckless open border policies diverted DHS from completing its core mission to keep America safe. While the agency was stretched thin, they were unable to focus on priorities that matter most, like countering China's influence, safeguarding sensitive information, and combatting bioterrorism threats. These bills are a step towards improving the effectiveness of DHS," said Strong.

All three bills now await consideration in the Senate.

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