HHS Statement: Senate HELP Committee Passage of Smallpox Bill
U.S. Newswire
2 Apr 15:00
Statement by Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services, on Senate HELP Committee Passage of Smallpox Compensation Bill
To: National Desk
Contact: HHS Press Office, 202-690-6343
web: http://www.hhs.gov/news
WASHINGTON, April 2 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is a
statement by Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human
Services, on Senate HELP committee passage of smallpox
compensation bill:
"I commend the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor
and Pensions and Chairman Judd Gregg for showing leadership in
passing legislation to create a compensation program for public
health and medical response teams who volunteer to receive
smallpox vaccinations.
"We are asking health professionals to perform a vital public
duty as part of our comprehensive efforts to strengthen our
public health system and protect the nation from a possible
attack. Therefore, we want to provide these volunteers with the
same benefits that we provide other public safety officers when
they are injured on the job.
"Again, I thank the members of this Senate committee for their
quick and visionary action, and I look forward to working with
all members in the coming days to provide our public safety
officers protection if they are injured on the job."
---
Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press
materials are available at
http://www.hhs.gov/news
ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND
MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS
OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR
LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND
COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH
YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
"A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth."
-- Albert Einstein, letter to a friend, 1901
"I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves, and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education."
-- Thomas Jefferson, letter to William C. Jarvis, September 28, 1820
"What's the point of vaccination if it doesn't protect you from the unvaccinated?"
-- Sandy Gottstein
"Who gets to decide what the greater good is and how many will be sacrificed to it?"