Statement of Administration Policy: S. 15 - Project BioShield Act of 2004

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

(Senate)

(Sen Gregg (R) NH and 11 cosponsors)

The Administration strongly supports Senate passage of S. 15, Project BioShield Act of 2004. This bill would implement a Presidential initiative to ensure the development and availability of next generation countermeasures against biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological weapons. S. 15 would: (1) speed the Government's ability to turn promising scientific discoveries into necessary countermeasures; (2) authorize funding to purchase critical new countermeasures targeted against the most worrisome threats; (3) allow the Food and Drug Administration to make promising treatments quickly available to Americans in emergency situations; and (4) transfer funding authority for the Strategic National Stockpile from the Department of Homeland Security to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Project BioShield is critical for strengthening the Nation's ability to protect Americans against biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological terrorist threats.