NEWS SCAN: House passes preparedness law reauthorization, kids' foodborne illness risk, amoxicillin for lung infections

December 20, 2012
CIDRAP

House passes final version of preparedness reauthorization law
The US House of Representatives today in a 383-to-16 vote passed legislation to reauthorize the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (passed in 2006), which now awaits action by the Senate before it goes to President Obama's desk. In a statement today, Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., who introduced the bill, said it represents common ground between House and Senate versions and was developed after months of work and deliberation between leaders in the two chambers. "Given the urgent need to reauthorize our nation's most critical biodefense and preparedness programs, I am hopeful this bipartisan legislation can be quickly passed by the Senate before Congress adjourns," he said. The House passed an earlier version of the bill in December 2011, and the Senate passed its version in early March, according to earlier reports. The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2012 continues programs to develop medical countermeasures against chemical, biological, radioactive, and nuclear threats, as well as programs to bolster the nation's preparedness for other public health threats, such as pandemic flu. Trust for America's Health (TFAH), a nonprofit health advocacy group, in a statement today applauded the House passage and urged the Senate to pass the law by the end of the year. Jeff Levi, TFAH's executive director, said in the statement, "It is important, in the final bill, that the Public Health and Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Grant Program, Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) and Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) are reauthorized, as they provide vital funding to local and state public health departments to strengthen response capabilities, enhance hospital preparedness and surge capacity, and develop vaccines, drugs and other necessary countermeasures."
Dec 19 Rep. Rogers' statement
Dec 19 TFAH statement

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