OpEdNews - Diary: $900 Million Pandemic Preparedness Funds stripped from Stimulus Bill by the GOP!

It appears that funding to the tune of 900 Million dollars for Pandemic Flu Preparedness was taken out of the Stimulus package back in February by the GOP, many who chided and teased that this was not "stimulus" spending.

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It appears that funding to the tune of 900 Million dollars for Pandemic Flu Preparedness was taken out of the Stimulus package back in February by the GOP. Many of them chided and teased that this was not "stimulus" spending. Although the funding measure passed in the House Bill, it was removed from the Senate version at the insistence of Senator Collins of Maine as that was the only way she was going to vote for the bill (which, to her credit she did). She even commented publicly on how glad she was to see it go, per her website.

After meeting with Mr. Obama, Sen. Collins expressed concern about a number of spending provisions, including $780 million for pandemic-flu preparedness. "I have no doubt that the president is willing to negotiate in good faith, that he wants to have a bipartisan bill," Sen. Collins said.

This is according to the Nation:

When House Appropriations Committee chairman David Obey, the Wisconsin Democrat who has long championed investment in pandemic preparation, included roughly $900 million for that purpose in this year's emergency stimulus bill, he was ridiculed by conservative operatives and congressional Republicans.

Obey and other advocates for the spending argued, correctly, that a pandemic hitting in the midst of an economic downturn could turn a recession into something far worse -- with workers ordered to remain in their homes, workplaces shuttered to avoid the spread of disease, transportation systems grinding to a halt and demand for emergency services and public health interventions skyrocketing. Indeed, they suggested, pandemic preparation was essential to any responsible plan for renewing the U.S. economy.

Now, as the World Health Organization says a deadly swine flu outbreak that apparently began in Mexico but has spread to the United States has the potential to develop into a pandemic, Obey's attempt to secure the money seems eerily prescient. Click here.

Looking back.....

Stimulus bill headed for passage minus pandemic funds
Robert Roos News Editor
Feb 13, 2009 (CIDRAP News) With money for pandemic influenza preparedness stripped from a huge economic stimulus bill that appears headed for final congressional approval, public health advocates say they have to look to the regular budgeting process for the next chance to get some pandemic funding.
The House of Representatives had included $900 million in pandemic preparedness funds in its version of the massive stimulus package, but it appeared that all but $50 million was removed by the conference committee that ironed out differences between the House and Senate versions, said Richard Hamburg, government relations director for the nonpartisan, nonprofit group Trust for America's Health (TFAH). Click here.

Earlier in the Stimulus Bill Process.....

House-passed stimulus bill includes pandemic funding
Lisa Schnirring and Robert Roos * Staff Writers

Jan 29, 2009 (CIDRAP News) Yesterday the US House of Representatives passed an $819 billion economic stimulus bill that included funding for pandemic influenza and bioterrorism countermeasures, and now the Senate will debate its version of the measure, which also includes spending on some of the same items.

President Barack Obama and several Democratic legislators have hailed the public health spending provisions as a way to create jobs and boost the productivity of the American workforce. However, some lawmakers oppose spending provisions, particularly those aimed at government departments.

The House bill includes $900 million for biomedical advanced research and development, pandemic flu, and cyber security to help the nation better prevent or respond to a natural or man-made biological threat, according to a Jan 15 statement from Trust for America's Health (TFAH), a nonprofit health advocacy group in Washington, DC.

The House plan also includes $3 billion for disease prevention, including funding for state and local health departments and immunization programs, and $20 billion for health information technology.

Jeff Levi, PhD, executive director of TFAH, said in the statement, "This is an unprecedented one-time investment in public health." In 2008, a TFAH expert panel reported that the country faces annual $20 billion shortfalls in critical public health program funding across state, local, and federal levels.
"Hopefully in the president's budget for 2010 there will again be funding and decisions about funding for preparedness," said Robert (Bobby) Pestronk, executive director of the National Association of County and City Health Officials. The Obama administration is expected to propose its 2010 budget soon.
Nothing left in pipeline
Hamburg said there is no more pandemic preparedness money in the pipeline for state and local public health. "The $600 million that was made available in December 2005, in the fiscal year 2006 emergency supplemental bill, the last of those dollars went out the door this past August," he said. Click here.

.....more from January, 2009

What One GOP Congressman Thinks of Senate Stimulus Package

3. The vast majority of spending in this bill has nothing to do with stimulating the economy but rather increasing government social programs.

q) $900 million in additional funds to prepare for the pandemic flu.

From a February 5th Wall Street Journal article (the one that Sen. Collins put on her website!

After meeting with Mr. Obama, Sen. Collins expressed concern about a number of spending provisions, including $780 million for pandemic-flu preparedness. "I have no doubt that the president is willing to negotiate in good faith, that he wants to have a bipartisan bill," Sen. Collins said. WSJ.

Meanwhile, Secessionist Rick Perry, Governor of Texas is asking the Feds for Flu money!

Gov. Rick Perry today in a precautionary measure requested the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide 37,430 courses of antiviral medications from the Strategic National Stockpile to Texas to prevent the spread of swine flu. Currently, three cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Texas. Click here.