WASHINGTON — A bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Dale Strong to strengthen the nation’s defense against bioterrorism was unanimously passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.
It was Strong’s third bill this week to be passed by the House and move to the Senate. The others were the SHIELD Against CCP Act and the Research Security and Accountability in DHS Act.
Related story: Strong’s Homeland Security legislation gets unanimous approval in House
His DHS Biodetection Improvement Act would strengthen U.S. biodefense by ensuring the Department of Homeland Security is prepared to counter bioterrorism threats. Strong serves on the House Committee on Homeland Security.
“The threats we face today are increasingly complex and evolving,” said Strong (R-Monrovia). “It is important that we stay one step ahead of our adversaries. This will improve the effectiveness of DHS’s mission to protect our national security and safeguard our interests.”
Following the 2001 anthrax attacks, DHS launched the BioWatch program to monitor, collect, and test air samples for biological threats; however, breakdowns in accurate and timely information sharing and lagging technological upgrades show that DHS has fallen behind.
“As a first responder, I know there is more work to be done to harden our defenses against bioterrorism,” Strong said. “This legislation will ensure DHS is utilizing every possible tool to protect Americans.”
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