“Claims that she is opposed to increased funding for pandemic flu research are blatantly false and politically motivated. In fact, in December 2008, Senator Collins joined in a letter to Senate leaders requesting a $905 million increase for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund at the Department of Health and Human Services.

“During negotiations of the economic stimulus package, Senator Collins always maintained that, though very worthwhile, pandemic flu research funding should go through the regular appropriations process since it did not meet the test of stimulus spending. And, in fact, the Omnibus Appropriations bill that was signed into law in March, less than a month after the stimulus bill, contains $156 million for pandemic influenza research, which is $1.4 million more than the Fiscal Year 2008 level.

“Congress previously appropriated $6.1 billion for pandemic preparedness activities at the Department of Health and Human Services. This funding has been used for stockpiling antiviral drugs for the treatment of more than 50 million Americans, licensing a pre-pandemic influenza vaccine, developing rapid diagnostics and completing the sequencing of the entire genetic blueprints of 2,250 human and avian influenza viruses.

“There is no evidence that federal efforts to address the swine flu outbreak have been hampered by a lack of funds. It is, however, a problem that the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Health and Human Services still do not have top positions filled. I hope that the Senate will move promptly to confirm Governor Sebelius for HHS Secretary.”

SENATE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE WORK ON PANDEMIC FLU

• On Wednesday, April 29th, the Senate Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing on the response by the federal government's to the recent outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and our nation's preparedness for a pandemic flu.

• In June 2007, following the release of a GAO report, Senators Collins and Lieberman, called for the Department of Agriculture to enlist the help of the Department of Homeland Security to prevent and control an outbreak of bird flu in the U.S. The Senators' conclusion was based on the report's finding that the USDA had taken initial steps in preventing and controlling an outbreak of Avian influenza virus but was not tapping important federal resources available to it.

• In 2007, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) acknowledged that it was not able to detect a Mexican national with a highly contagious, multiple-drug-resistant form of Tuberculosis at the border, despite having his two last names, middle name, and date of birth. In fact, the man entered the United States 21 times after DHS received this information in April and May of that year.

• Senator Collins inquired about this incident at a Committee hearing held on October 24, 2007. The hearing showed serious inadequacies in the computer name-matching system used DHS to identify terrorists and those who present public health threats at the ports of entry. That system is now being modernized.

• Senator Collins led a subsequent Homeland Security Committee investigation showed that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and DHS must be better prepared to take action when they learn about individuals who present public health threats. Since then, DHS and CDC have instituted revised procedures to govern information sharing and coordination on acting on health threats from outside the U.S.

• Senator Collins also asked GAO to look into these issues and the GAO confirmed the Committee's findings that there was poor coordination between DHS and CDC. It also recommended that DHS and CDC educate state and local health officials about their procedures.

• In October 2007, Senator Collins led a hearing on the effectiveness and funding of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and Project BioShield, within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. BARDA provides an integrated, systematic approach to the development and purchase of the necessary vaccines, drugs, therapies, and diagnostic tools for public health medical emergencies. BARDA manages Project BioShield, which includes the procurement and advanced development of medical countermeasures for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents, as well as the advanced development and procurement of medical countermeasures for pandemic influenza.