The discovery of sarin gas in Iraq and the use of anthrax and ricin against Congress spurred the Senate on Wednesday to approve $5.6 billion to help prepare for possible germ or chemical attacks on American soil. The Senate, in a 99-0 vote, approved “Project BioShield” legislation to pay for research, production and stockpiling of vaccines and antidotes for bioterror agents. The House already has approved the legislation, and lawmakers on both sides say they hope to soon have it to President Bush for his signature. Lawmakers are moving quickly on the legislation because America is not prepared for a major bioterror attack, said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Republican of Tennessee. The sarin gas discovered in a roadside bomb Monday in Iraq, and the ricin and anthrax attacks on the Capitol complex “demonstrated that bioterror is here,” said Frist, whose office was mailed a letter containing ricin last fall. “It’s on our own soil, it’s hit this nation, hit this Capitol, hit the entire East Coast, and indeed it was deadly.” Full Story
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