By JESSICA WEHRMAN Courier & Press Washington bureau (202) 408-2705 or wehrmanj@shns.com
April 6, 2003

A Sen. Evan Bayh-sponsored amendment aimed at giving state and local public health officials funds to administer smallpox vaccines passed the U.S. Senate.

The bill was an amendment to a larger supplemental spending measure aimed at funding the war in Iraq.

Bayh's amendment, originally slated to provide $340 million to providers, was negotiated to $105 million after Senate Republicans expressed concerns about excess spending. All told, it would give Indiana $2.2 million, enough to vaccinate 26,000 Hoosier first responders, according to Bayh's office.

Only 25,000 out of 500,000 American health workers and first responders have received a smallpox vaccination. Estimated cost is $85 per vaccination.

During debate on the Senate floor, Bayh, D-Ind., said fighting smallpox was one battle in a far larger war against terrorism.

"Biological weapons can unleash pathogens capable of slaughtering millions, spreading terror and fear and perhaps starting a new dark age," he said. "The threat is not theoretical. As we saw in this very chamber with the anthrax outbreak a year ago, the threat of biological weapons is all too real."

Bayh said while the rhetoric has been "right on," resources have left much to be desired. Fiscal crises in states as well as heightened security demands have left states unable to pay to inoculate health workers and first responders against smallpox.

"The federal government must step up and protect the health and well-being of our people," Bayh said, adding it was the only level of government capable of doing so.

The House of Representatives added $94 million for smallpox inoculation to its bill.

"This money will save lives," he said.

Sens. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., also spoke on behalf of the bill. Kennedy called vaccination "an absolutely essential part on the war against terrorism."

"These first responders, when they signed up for their jobs, didn't think they were taking on the additional kind of responsibilities of dealing with terrorism," Kennedy said.

"Now we're asking them to do that."