House approves bioterrorism spending

The House Wednesday approved a sweeping, $2.9 billion authorization to better prepare the nation to detect and respond to acts of bioterrorism.

The 418-2 vote culminated weeks of hurried work by staffers and lawmakers on the bipartisan bill that would more than double the funding requested by the White House--and throw down the gauntlet to appropriators, who are trying to wrap up their bioterrorism package included in the $20 billion supplemental attached to the fiscal 2002 Defense appropriation bill.

The Senate included $3.1 billion in new bioterrorism spending in its version of the package, the House $2 billion.

"The legislation is all about safety and security of American families and of our country," said Energy and Commerce Chairman Tauzin.

The bill, agreed ranking member John Dingell, D-Mich., "puts support where it needs to be put."

The measure would authorize just over $1 billion for aid to state and local public health agencies to improve communications, laboratory capacity and training to detect and respond to bioterror attacks. Another $1 billion would add to the nation's pharmaceutical stockpile of vaccines and drugs.

The bill also includes sections to more closely track the use and possession of biotoxins, to beef up food safety efforts and to protect the nation's water supply.