Bioterrorism and Public Health Preparedness Policy Activities

Position Statements and Letters

TFAH Comments on Draft National Preparedness Goal (September 2011)
Read the Comments

TFAH Written Statement to Senate HELP Committee on Reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (May 2011)
Read the Testimony

TFAH Testimony to House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Commnications regarding Medical Countermeasures (May 2011)
Read the Comments

Sign-on Letter on Reauthorization of Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (March 2011)
Read the Letter

TFAH Recommendations on Reauthorization of Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (February 2011)
Read the Recommendations

TFAH Comments on the Biennial Implementation Plan for the National Health Security Strategy (August 2010)
Read the Comments

Group Comments on the Proposed Rule for the Electronic Health Record Incentive Program (March 2010)
Read the Letter

Congressional Hearings and Briefings

Ten Years After Anthrax and 9/11: Protecting Against Biological Threats
Testimony of Jeffrey Levi, Executive Director, before U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs (October 2011)

Good Samaritan State of Emergency Liability Protection
Written Testimony of Serena Vinter, Senior Research Associate, Trust For America's Health, Before Maryland House of Delegates Judiciary Committee (February 2009)

Briefing Presentations

February 2012 "Ready or Not? Protecting the Public's Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism" congressional briefing:

Introduction and Ready or Not Report Overview
Dr. Jeffrey Levi, PhD, Executive Director, Trust for America's Health

Ready or Not? A View from a Local Health Department
Herminia Palacio, M.D., MPH, Harris County (TX) Public Health and Environmental Services

View from a State North Carolina Public Health
Jeffrey Engel, M.D., North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

Still Vulnerable: Persistent Challenges for an Unprepared Nation
Irwin Redlener, M.D., National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health; Children's Health Fund

2012 Ready or Not Briefing: Speaker Biographies

Background Materials

TFAH Resources

TFAH's Serena Vinter, Dara Alpert Lieberman and Jeffrey Levi author Harvard Law and Policy Review Journal Article: Public Health Preparedness in a Reforming Health System

The Public Health Emergency Response Act (S. 3312/H.R. 6569)
TFAH's one-pager on the bill
TFAH's section-by section summary
TFAH's Q&A
Legislative text

Public Health Preparedness Funding
Read TFAH's Appropriations Backgrounder

Bioterrorism and Public Health Preparedness Initiative Page

Pandemic Influenza Initiative Page

Government Resources

CDC's Emergency Preparedness and Response Page

HHS' Office of the Assistant Secretary and Response Page

Policy Activities by Topic

Healthier America Project

Obesity