WASHINGTON, DC - The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, chaired by Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), has scheduled a hearing for Friday, Feb. 12, 2016, at 9 a.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “Outbreaks, Attacks, and Accidents: Combatting Biological Threats."
The subcommittee will hear testimony from members of the Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense and other experts on:
* Current levels of preparedness for natural, intentional, and accidental biological events
* The extent of our preparedness for a biological event
* The need to modernize our approach to biodefense preparedness, including addressing the lack of leadership on the issue within the federal government
* Other recommendations, including the need for improved surveillance, by the Blue Ribbon Study Panel that fall within the jurisdiction of the Energy and Commerce Committee
“We are reminded, on nearly a daily basis, that there are those who seek to do us harm through a variety of means, including biological attacks," said Chairman Murphy. “These threats are ever-evolving, and our hearing will examine how prepared the federal government is to identify and respond to these threats as well as disease outbreaks, so that the American people can rest assured, knowing they are safe."
Witnesses confirmed to testify:
The Honorable Donna Shalala
Panel Member
Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense
The Honorable James Greenwood
Panel Member
Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense
The Honorable Tara O’Toole, M.D., M.P.H.
Senior Fellow and Executive Vice President
In-Q-Tel
Gerald Parker, D.V.M., Ph.D., M.S.
Associate Vice President, Public Health Preparedness and Response
Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing Texas A&M University
A witness list is available here. The Majority Memorandum and witness testimony will be posted at the same link as they are available.
