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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | ||||
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| REMARKS BY: | TOMMY G. THOMPSON, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| PLACE: | The Annual Conference of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Nashville, Tennessee |
| DATE: | September 11, 2002 |
Dr. Georges Benjamin (ASTHO President), thank you so very much for those kind words and for your leadership of this tremendous organization and of the Maryland public health department.
Under Dr. Benjamin's leadership, Maryland is putting together an e-mail summary of international disease outbreaks. This enables physicians and health care providers throughout his great state know what could be on their horizon … and if an outbreak appears to be due to deliberate bioterrorism.
That's preparedness at a new level and I thank you, Dr. Benjamin, for your vigorous approach to public health ... and I also thank ASTHO's Executive Director, Dr. George Hardy, for his outstanding and active service, as well.
It's wonderful to be with you because as a former governor, I know from experience how important public health officers are. And I like being with people who know how to get things done. The members of ASTHO are hands-on people. You're problem-solvers who deal with the real-life needs of people in your states and territories.
That's a heavy burden … a great challenge … and a responsibility you are committed to discharging with energy, vision and compassion. On behalf of the President, and on my own behalf, I thank you for your tremendous work for the American people.
One year ago today, approximately 3,000 individuals perished when terrorists struck in New York, in the skies over Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon. We were attacked because we believe in human dignity … in the value of every individual … and because we believe in self-government, not rule by a group of self-appointed thugs.
The emotions the attack generated are all too familiar and, on this anniversary, all too fresh. Shock. Pain. Anger.
And, now more than ever, resolution - to bring international terrorism to a permanent halt … to bring its perpetrators to justice … and to comfort those who, on September 11th, 2001, found their worlds shattered as their loved ones perished.
It was Thomas Jefferson who reminded that, in his words, "It is a part of the American character to consider nothing as desperate (and) to surmount every difficulty by resolution."
So it is in that spirit of resolution that I ask you to join me in a moment of silence as we remember those who died … as we consider those who loved them, and love them still … and as we think of the brave Americans who proudly wear a military uniform, a law enforcement badge or a firefighter's helmet and who are defending us even now … in this very community, across America and throughout the world.
Thank you, and may God bless America.
My friends, there can be no more important way to honor the victims of last September 11th than, on this September 11th, rededicating ourselves to preparing for possible future attacks.
One of the beneficial results of the attacks last year is that we are now building the best public health system in the world. We are getting stronger every day. And we're doing it in partnership together.
That's in contrast to where we were one year ago. We have to admit that all of our departments - local, state and federal - were not devoting the resources necessary to make us ready for bioterrorist attacks.
What a difference a year makes … and what a difference we have made, together, working in tandem to prepare America for another possible assault by our adversaries.
I cannot underscore too strongly the collaborative nature of the relationship of the federal government and groups like yours. We need each other - for counsel, implementation, policy decisions and revenue streams.
It's been wonderful to see the bipartisan cooperation we've received from Congress. Republicans and Democrats have come together to provide America with the resources required to get prepared, and I give them credit for their good work.
Without state, local and federal partnerships … without public and private partnerships … and without partnerships between national associations like ASTHO and the Department of Health and Human Services, everyone is placed at greater risk.
ASTHO has been a tremendous partner in collaborating with us. Within one month of September 11th, you established an Anti-Terrorism Task Force that has done great work in helping us strengthen our ability to respond successfully to bioterrorist attacks. Let me thank you for your courageous, forthright and extraordinarily diligent work.
One of the keys to our growing effectiveness has been the kind of people we've brought into our bioterrorism preparedness effort. I'm thinking of people like D.A. Henderson, Mike Asher, Jerry Hauer and Mike Osterholm, who is here with me today. These are talented, world-class scientists and public servants.
Let me underscore that public health and bioterrorism preparedness are passions for me. I work on these issues day and day out - and have since before I even set foot in my position.
I'm briefed by the CIA every day. I'm part of the Homeland Security Council. I'm constantly in touch with members of Congress … leading scientists and researchers … and, as my staff will tell you, I'm relentless in finding out where we stand and how we can improve.
So, when I say we're partners, I'm not just making a rhetorical point. I'm serious.
As you know, the Department of Health and Human Services has provided the states with $1.1 billion to strengthen state and local public health infrastructure. That, my friends, is the largest one-time investment in our nation's public health system. Ever.
The President signed the bill authorizing this money on January 10. In three weeks HHS developed the grant program and sent 20 percent of the money to states, asking them to develop their plans by April 15. Critics, of course, were quick to say it couldn't be done … that we were asking too much … that states just couldn't respond that quickly.
My friends, I take great pleasure in saying that the critics were completely wrong. You sent us your plans quickly - and they were solid, well-designed plans. We reviewed and approved rapidly … and now the money is in your hands.
That, my friends, is not only a tribute to your efficiency but to your seriousness as public servants who are charged with caring for the health of millions of people. On behalf of President Bush, and on my own behalf, I thank you so very much for what you've done and what you continue to do.
This is the first time that federal, state and local governments have come together on a unified plan to strengthen our public health system and better prepare to respond to a terrorist attack.
Put simply, we're constructing a cohesive public health system for all of America. The plans have been laid. The architecture has been framed. And now the construction has begun and is well underway.
And should bioterrorism strike America again as it did last fall, we're committed to getting you the information you need more quickly and with better coordination. One of the lessons we learned last year was the importance of communication, both to the public and, as importantly, to you - America's public health officers. We're committed to improving this kind of communication.
Dr. Julie Gerberding, the new head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is acutely aware of the need and we're working to make sure that your departments get information that's timely and helpful, both in an emergency and today as the preparatory work goes on.
Our "Morbidity Mortality Weekly Reports" are an example of this commitment. You need accurate information. And it needs to be accessible to you. We're working hard to fulfill that demand.
A few months ago, we got more help when the President signed the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism bill, which was drafted by my department. This bill provides $4.3 billion for bioterrorism preparedness in the next fiscal year. That's a 45 percent increase over the current fiscal year - the biggest one-time investment in bioterrorism preparedness ever.
Let me break that funding down a bit. We know that local hospitals will play a decisive role in the effectiveness of our response to any bioterrorist incident. So, we're increasing support for hospitals by $383 million fiscal year 2003. We're providing funding for surge capacity and patient tracking, and funding to improve public health infrastructure, including infection control and decontamination equipment.
There's also $1.5 billion to fund state and local preparedness activities, such as improving laboratory capacity, enhancing epidemiological and surveillance capacity, and strengthening communications systems.
For example, Dr. Mary Gilchrist of Iowa demonstrates this clearly. Last year, her lab had only $100,000 to do bioterrorism preparedness work. This year, thanks to the funding my department has provided, she and her staff have $1.5 million. That's enabling her to hire the personnel and purchase the equipment Iowa needs for state-of-the-art research.
In addition, state and local public health workers and hospitals must have access to adequate supplies of medicines, and must be trained to receive and distribute these essential supplies once they are delivered.
So, we have purchased enough antibiotics to treat up to 20 million people exposed to anthrax, and will soon have enough smallpox vaccine for every American. With the recent donation of smallpox vaccine by Aventis Pasteur, we can respond in an emergency even sooner than we had anticipated.
Let me emphasize that point: As we build our public health system and our bioterrorism readiness capability, one of the challenges before us is our readiness for a smallpox attack or sudden outbreak. As I just mentioned, we have worked aggressively and effectively to secure enough vaccine for use in an emergency.
But I know that the question of pre- and post-release vaccination remains very prominent in many of your minds, and rightly so. Let me assure you that we are addressing this issue within the Administration forthrightly but with great care.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has forwarded very thoughtful and sound recommendations. We have reviewed them and considered ways they might be built upon. Now, we are working with the White House on a final decision about pre-vaccinating people in the absence of an attack or outbreak.
While no decision has been made, I want you to know that the Administration is working actively and aggressively on this issue. It's a complex and complicated decision, as you all can appreciate. We're working to answer all the questions now so they won't be left for you to answer when a decision is made or a crisis arises. And we are working to have plans in place for post-release vaccination, as well.
At HHS, we're making sure we have and understand the perspective of ASTHO and other state and public health organizations. We appreciate your willingness to work with us and share your views with us. And, I can tell you, your leaders like Dr. Benjamin and Dr. Hardy are serving you well.
We hope to have a decision soon. And when we do, we will make sure all of you are informed and educated about that decision as rapidly as possible. Most importantly, we will make sure that you and your colleagues at the state and local levels have clear guidance on the strategy we develop and its implementation.
As our partners, we take our charge to work with you very seriously. And you will be our partners in any smallpox vaccination endeavor that occurs. Whatever is decided, it can only succeed with your partnership and the talent and energy of you and your colleagues.
In the meantime, we ask that you continue to share your ideas and concerns with us. And please, don't bite on any speculation. There is a lot of speculation and guesswork out there. Obviously, we are not going to come out with any particulars until a final decision is made.
I can assure you that I have not confirmed with the media any facts, figures or specifics about plans being discussed with the Administration, nor do I intend to. If you read something or hear something, and you have concerns, please call us. We will address your concerns and make sure you have an accurate understanding of what is taking place.
We want to have clear and open channels of communication with your organization and others in the public health arena, and are doing and will do all we can to facilitate them.
We are also continuing to invest in the development of new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostic procedures. The biomedical research enterprise of this nation is one of our greatest assets in the war against terrorism, and the President's request for the National Institutes of Health is $1.7 billion for these research activities.
I also want to highlight the work of the FDA. Since Sept. 11th, we are paying increased attention to the safety of our food supply, 80 percent of which is regulated by the FDA.
One of our highest priorities has been extending the reach of our food inspection efforts. To that end, the FDA has hired more than 700 of the 832 new employees authorized this year. By the end of this year, FDA will be able to conduct 24,000 on-site import inspections, nearly double the total in the past. That capacity will continue to increase.
In addition, HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality initiated a new Web site to teach hospital-based physicians and nurses how to diagnose and treat rare infections and exposures to bioterrorist agents such as anthrax and smallpox.
The site was designed by researchers in the Center for Disaster Preparedness at the University of Alabama at Birmingham under a contract from AHRQ. It is the first of its kind to offer free continuing education credits in bioterrorism preparedness to clinicians. You can check it out www.bioterrorism.uab.edu.
Well, that's a lot of information, and I want to leave time for questions, so I'll close and open up our time of discussion. But before I do, let me note that President Bush has declared this "Patriot Day." It's a day when every American is being called upon to reflect on our amazing heritage and the great gifts we enjoy each day in this country … and also to recommit to the principles of our nation's founding, principles as real today as they were in 1776.
We believe in the equality of every man and woman before God. Abraham Lincoln, my great hero, called this the "central idea" of our Republic.
Furthering human dignity is our essential duty as public servants. As Ronald Reagan said, "We must shoulder our burden with our eyes fixed on the future, but recognizing the realities of today, not counting on mere hope or wishes. We must be willing to carry out our responsibility as the custodian of individual freedom. Then we will achieve our destiny to be as a shining city on a hill for all mankind to see."
I'm so very honored to stand with you as a partner in building that "shining city," to join you in your passion for public health and to serve with you for the sake of this, the greatest nation on earth. I look forward to your questions and comments. May God bless you, and may He always bless the United States of America.