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Pelosi and House Democrats Urge Bush to Provide Comprehensive Plan to Address Threat of Avian Flu

Posted on: Friday, 7 October 2005, 18:00 CDT

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and 14 other senior House Democrats sent a letter to President Bush today urging him to submit to Congress a comprehensive plan to prepare the United States for the threat of avian flu.

The text of the letter follows:

Oct. 7, 2005

President George W. Bush

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

For several years, medical and public health experts have warned that the avian flu now circulating in Asia could be the source of a deadly global influenza pandemic. This concern has been the subject of numerous Congressional hearings, scientific meetings, and public discussions.

We are concerned that the United States is dangerously unprepared to deal with such a pandemic. We have only one domestic manufacturer of injectable flu vaccine. The supply of antiviral medications in our national stockpile is insufficient to meet potential needs. State and local health officials lack the necessary resources to detect, contain, and respond to an outbreak. A national plan has not been finalized, making it difficult for states and localities to do their own planning.

We urge you to submit a comprehensive proposal to Congress as soon as possible. In our judgment, a successful national response will need to include the following elements:

-- Sufficient support for domestic capacity to manufacture influenza vaccines and antiviral medications with appropriate liability protection, and a compensation program for those injured by taking the vaccine.

-- Sufficient resources and research to ensure an adequate and accessible supply of vaccines and antiviral medications to the public when needed.

-- Sufficient funding to states and localities for their public health systems. Vaccines and antiviral drugs must be delivered based upon medical priorities, with special attention paid to populations without ready access to health care.

-- A leadership role for the United States in coordinating efforts for surveillance and containment in response to a flu pandemic.

We look forward to working with you on a bipartisan basis to implement a comprehensive plan and to secure the necessary resources to make that plan effective. The American people must be assured that their government is ready to respond to a potential outbreak.

Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to receiving your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic Leader, Chairman

Steny Hoyer, House Democratic Whip

Robert Menendez, House Democratic Caucus

David Obey, Member of Congress

Bennie Thompson, Member of Congress

George Miller, Member of Congress

Rosa DeLauro, Member of Congress

Henry Waxman, Member of Congress

John D. Dingell, Member of Congress

John Spratt, Member of Congress

Rahm Emanuel, Member of Congress

Sherrod Brown, Member of Congress

Nita Lowey, Member of Congress

Diana DeGette, Member of Congress

Martin Olav Sabo, Member of Congress

http://www.usnewswire.com

Source: U.S. Newswire

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