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“CONGRATULATING FORT DETRICK ON 60 YEARS OF SERVICE TO U.S.” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H9059-H9061 on Oct. 1, 2003.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
CONGRATULATING FORT DETRICK ON 60 YEARS OF SERVICE TO U.S.
Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 271) congratulating Fort Detrick on 60 years of service to the United States, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 271
Whereas April 10, 2003, was the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Army installation in Frederick, Maryland, named Fort Detrick;
Whereas Fort Detrick is designated as an Army Medical Installation and is home to the United States Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC), one of two campuses of the National Cancer Institute (NCI-Frederick), and 36 other organizations of the Department of Defense and other Federal departments;
Whereas the primary missions of the organizations at Fort Detrick include biomedical research and development, medical materiel management, and global telecommunications;
Whereas throughout that installation's 60-year history, the personnel and organizations assigned to that installation have contributed scientific breakthroughs and medical solutions for the Armed Forces and the Nation;
Whereas Fort Detrick is a focal point for the Nation's biomedical scientific leadership and has contributed extensively to protecting and improving public health in the United States;
Whereas Fort Detrick has been home to preeminent researchers in bacteriology, microbiology, clinical and preventative medicine, biochemistry, neurology, botany, virology, and genomics;
Whereas the research program at Fort Detrick was a pioneer in the laboratory facility designs, equipment, and procedures that are used for infectious disease research in laboratories worldwide;
Whereas researchers at Fort Detrick have improved public health throughout the world through the creation of botulinum antibodies, which have been used to treat both infant and adult victims of botulism;
Whereas the Venezuelan equine encephalitis vaccines, which were created at Fort Detrick, have been used to control human and animal outbreaks of Venezuelan equine encephalitis, and the Rift Valley Fever vaccines, which were also created at Fort Detrick, have been used to protect people in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and other countries who are at high risk of Rift Valley Fever;
Whereas, on January 27, 1969, the Office of the Surgeon General of the Army established the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
(hereinafter in this resolution referred to as the
``Institute''), which is located at Fort Detrick and is the Department of Defense's lead laboratory for medical aspects of biological warfare defense;
Whereas when outbreaks of hantaviral disease began in the southwestern United States in 1993, the Institute was called upon by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and by various State health departments for consultations;
Whereas when the Ebola virus was first carried to the shores of the United States in late 1989 by a primate colony found in Reston, Virginia, it was researchers at the Institute who diagnosed and contained the outbreak;
Whereas the Institute also played a key role in the identification of and response to the initial outbreak of West Nile virus in New York;
Whereas the Institute continues its life-saving work by collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health on the development of diagnostics and the evaluation of antiviral drugs for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome;
Whereas the Institute created a vaccine against hemorrhagic fever in the 1980s, which has possibly saved thousands of lives in Argentina, including the lives of agricultural workers at risk for exposure to this hemorrhagic fever virus;
Whereas the Institute was the only Federal laboratory to maintain a continuous diagnostic reference capability on a 24-hour per day basis after the attacks of September 11, 2001, and provided expertise in medical diagnostics and decontamination that was key to ensuring that congressional office buildings were safe to reoccupy after the anthrax mail attacks in the fall of 2001;
Whereas leading vaccine candidates for anthrax, plague, tularemia, and botulinum neurotoxins were all originally developed at the Institute;
Whereas the basic research program at the Institute is responsible for some of the most promising medical countermeasures against the leading biological threats that are on the ``A'' List of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
Whereas the Institute has established a partnership with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health to collaborate and accelerate biodefense research that will protect all Americans against the threat of biological and chemical attacks by terrorists;
Whereas in 1974, the United States Army Medical Materiel Agency was relocated to Fort Detrick and the Navy, Air Force, and Army all now conduct medical logistics planning and management at Fort Detrick in support of global military operations;
Whereas the Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research Unit of the Agricultural Research Service of the Department of Agriculture has conducted high-priority research in the Plant Pathogen Containment Facility at Fort Detrick for over 30 years, providing the agricultural community with basic epidemiological information and rapid diagnostic assays for exotic threatening and emerging crop diseases, such as Karnal bunt of wheat, soybean rust, potato late blight, and plum pox virus;
Whereas Company B, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, United States Marine Corps Reserve, which has been assigned to Fort Detrick since October 1987, had a mission of reconnaissance and security in support of a Marine Air/Ground Task Force and received the Meritorious Unit Citation for its service during Operation Desert Storm;
Whereas the Army's 1108th Signal Brigade at Fort Detrick provides important strategic communication support to the White House and the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and
Whereas the National Cancer Institute-Frederick at Fort Detrick, one of two campuses of the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health, is an internationally recognized center for scientific excellence in the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer and AIDS: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the Congress--
(1) congratulates Fort Detrick, Maryland, on 60 years of service to the Nation; and
(2) commends the military and civilian personnel of the Army, other elements of the Department of Defense, and other Federal departments and agencies who have worked diligently at Fort Detrick since its founding--
(A) to defend the United States against biological and chemical attack; and
(B) to develop vaccines for all types of illnesses.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Bartlett) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ortiz) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Bartlett).
General Leave
Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the concurrent resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Maryland?
There was no objection.
Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
As the cosponsor of H. Con. Res. 271, I rise to congratulate Fort Detrick on 60 years of outstanding service to our Nation. Fort Detrick, located in Frederick, Maryland, employs men and women who are among the Nation's most preeminent researchers in bacteriology, microbiology, clinical and preventive medicine, biochemistry, neurology, botany, virology, and genomics. These scientists and technicians have an unparalleled record protecting the men and women in America's Armed Forces from the scourge of biowarfare.
They have also led the world's fight against many infectious diseases. Today workers at Fort Detrick are helping to protect and improve the health of all Americans, as well as people around the world.
During the height of World War II, in 1943, scientists converged at Camp Detrick when the War Department began to address the threat of biological warfare. In 1956, the U.S. Army Medical Unit was formed to develop medical countermeasures which included rapid and effective diagnostic and identification procedures. Throughout the Cold War, Fort Detrick developed and matured many of the standard protocols and technology utilized in biomedical research.
In 1969, the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, USAMRIID, was established to continue America's defense against biological agents.
Of today's top six biological threats, the CDC's ``A'' list, the leading candidate countermeasures for at least five of the six have come from the basic research program at USAMRIID. Leading vaccine candidates for anthrax, plague, and neurotoxins were all originally developed at USAMRIID. The technology used to develop a new smallpox vaccine was first demonstrated at USAMRIID. The National Cancer Institute-Frederick is an internationally recognized center for scientific excellence in the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer and AIDS. Three billion dollars in congressionally directed research into breast and prostate cancer have been done at the NCI, which is located at Fort Detrick.
Fort Detrick is also a home of the 1108th Signal Brigade, the U.S. Army Medical Material Agency, and the 4th Light Armored Vehicle Battalion of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. The Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research Unit of the Department of Agriculture is also located at Fort Detrick and has conducted high-priority research in exotic threatening and emerging crop diseases for over 30 years.
The National Institutes of Health will be constructing an integrated biomedical research facility at the post to support the biodefense mission of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The Department of Homeland Security is considering joining NIAID and USAMRIID in an expanded biodefense campus at Fort Detrick. Fort Detrick is the logical location because of the 60-year record of accomplishments, the existing facilities and the productive partnerships already in place between the military and many civilian agencies of the Federal Government.
Fort Detrick is a focal point for America's biomedical scientific leadership. I congratulate all of the thousands of former and current employees for their outstanding service to our Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. ORTIZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleague from Maryland (Mr. Bartlett) in support of this resolution and urge my colleagues to support it as well.
Fort Detrick is one of the most important lines of defense should we ever be attacked with a chemical or biological weapon. Since 1969, it has been our Nation's lead laboratory for the medical aspects of biological warfare defense.
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The September 11 attacks used civilian airplanes as weapons of mass destruction; but it raises the specter of a terrorist attack that would use a chemical, biological, or nuclear weapon against us. I hope such an attack never occurs; but if it does, the men and women of Fort Detrick are devoted to improving the ways to quickly detect the use of chemical or biological weapons, halt the spread of chemical and biological agents as quickly as possible, and treat the victims of the attack.
But the mission of Fort Detrick goes beyond just protecting against chemical or biological attack. Fort Detrick has played a leading role in protecting our Nation and other nations against all types of infectious diseases. They helped identify the West Nile Virus several summers ago, and they created a vaccine in the 1980s that probably saved the lives of thousands of Argentinians from an agricultural virus. Fort Detrick has been a world leader in research of microbiology, biochemistry, botany, and other scientific disciplines that are necessary to understanding how to detect and treat lethal viruses.
Fort Detrick also serves as home to one of the two campuses of the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health. This NIH campus is internationally recognized for its contribution to cancer and AIDS research.
The mission of Fort Detrick goes beyond research as well. Since 1974, all medical logistical support of global military operations is planned and managed by Fort Detrick. This is an extremely important mission as our troops are flung worldwide in the global war on terrorism. And as my good friend, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Bartlett), mentioned, the Army's 1108th Signal Brigade at Fort Detrick provides strategic communications support to the White House and the joint chiefs.
This is just a symbol of the accomplishments and missions of Fort Detrick, not an inventory of what they do. They do a great job.
Mr. Speaker, I commend and congratulate my good friend, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Bartlett), for bringing this resolution to the floor.
Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Mr. Speaker, as Congressman from Maryland's Second Congressional district home to Aberdeen and Fort Meade . . . I know what it means to represent our brave military men and women who continue to defend this nation abroad and here at home.
Many who protect us do so with weapons . . . and many protect us in otherways. . .
Fort Detrick is the premier military base for medical and biological research. The men and women that work at the Detrick have led the way in infectious disease and chemical warfare research.
Detrick began as a chemical research facility housing the research branch of The Army Chemical Warfare Service. It is also the home to the Armed Forces Medical Intelligence Center (AFMIC).
Detrick is also home to U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease (USAMRIID). These state of the art laboratories are continuing to develop vaccines and treatments to defend against offensive bioweapons. USAMRIID also has a large staff dedicated to finding cures for cancer.
I am proud that the United States has dedicated a military base to these problems and I am proud it is in the my home state of Maryland. It is imperative in this day of terrorism to be prepared for the new chemical and biological weapons. Today I am happy to honor the 60 years of research that Detrick has provided for the National Security of this Nation.
Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Sessions). The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Bartlett) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 271, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
The title of the concurrent resolution was amended so as to read:
``Concurrent resolution congratulating Fort Detrick, Maryland, on 60 years of service to the Nation.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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