Congressman Davis and Congresswoman Kiggans Introduce the Protecting American Families and Servicemembers from Anthrax Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Don Davis (D-NC) and Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (R-VA) introduced H.R. 2707, Protecting American Families and Servicemembers from Anthrax Act,to ensure the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Health and Human Services develops a long-term stockpiling strategy that leverages the Strategic National Stockpile to enhance national preparedness.

"By stockpiling Anthrax medical countermeasures, we are ensuring that we have the lifesaving tools necessary to protect and treat poisonings in the event of future attacks," said Congressman Davis. "We must do everything to protect our servicemembers and the American people from terrorism."

"Anthrax poses a deadly threat to the warfighter - it is imperative for American national security and military readiness to ensure preparedness for this biological threat. We continue to have grave concerns about our adversaries' work on Anthrax. Recent national intelligence and treaty compliance estimates acknowledge man-made biological threat concerns posed by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. This legislation provides a key step to ensuring preparedness for the threat of Anthrax," said David Lasseter, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction.

"H.R. 2707 is a tremendous step forward in ensuring that the Strategic National Stockpile is prepared for the threat of Anthrax. The Stockpile has been chronically challenged with severe, long-term funding shortfalls and under-resourcing. This has created a preparedness concern across the spectrum of biological and chemical threats, including Anthrax," said Greg Burel, recently retired director of the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile.

Background

Anthrax remains among the deadliest and easiest to produce biological weapons, 25 years after the Anthrax attacks on Congress in 2001. The ongoing threat of Anthrax to the warfighter and civilians persists. Planned reductions or eliminations of Anthrax medical countermeasures, including antitoxins, may greatly exacerbate vulnerability for this threat.

To protect servicemembers and the American people, the legislation would require the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs and counterparts on the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE) to develop a modernized ten-year strategy for ensuring sustained stockpiling of FDA-approved or cleared anthrax countermeasures, including the replenishment, consistent with requirement levels, of such Anthrax therapeutics stockpiled in the Strategic National Stockpile and by the Secretary of Defense. These countermeasures include those stockpiled for treatment of civilians, servicemembers and dependents on military installations.

Officials assigned in the Department of Defense would provide an annual report on the threat of Anthrax to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, including obligations towards this ten-year strategy, and research and development investments, including those that may address multi-drug resistant Anthrax.

Congressman Don Davis serves as the vice ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee and sits on the Subcommittees on Tactical Air and Land Forces and Readiness. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1994 and is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.