National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility crucial

The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 changed the way our nation thinks about its security. Terrorist strikes on our native soil transformed speculation about our vulnerabilities into a palpable reality of our insecurity. The Department of Homeland Security was created to fortify our nation’s security and our research and response capabilities.

As our enemies develop new and innovative ways to harm us, we must continue to upgrade our own security capabilities. In order to stay ahead, the Department of Homeland Security must continuously assess our weaknesses and invest in sound science and emerging technology to develop better ways to protect our nation from terrorist attacks and mitigate the impact of disasters.

The threats we face may include biological and agricultural terrorism tactics that are designed to harm livestock and disrupt our food supply. The potential also exists for diseases currently confined to animal populations to be transmitted to humans. The notion that terrorists may be attempting to exploit these possibilities is a serious concern.

A 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom, which was likely caused by illegally imported food products, required the slaughter of more than 10 million sheep and cattle. Homeland Security officials estimate that such an event in the U.S. could cost more than $37 billion. Additionally, the Nipah and Hendra viruses, which have been discovered in Australia, Malaysia and Singapore, could pose a serious threat to both livestock and humans.

While four federal facilities currently exist in the U.S. with the capability to study high-consequence human pathogens, we lack the means to study effectively the unique threats posed to our livestock and food supply. We need the scientists and the tools to protect our citizens and our food supply against the diseases that could be spread either intentionally or unintentionally to animals and from animals to humans.

The Department of Homeland Security has recognized the need to establish a new facility for the concentrated study of such threats to our homeland. Plans for a state-of-the-art National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) are in the works. There is broad consensus that the existing federal facility, built at Plum Island, New York in 1954, is obsolete and costly to maintain and operate. It also lacks the high level bio-containment laboratories necessary to push the boundaries of science.

The new research facility that the Department of Homeland Security will manage should enhance our agricultural and public health. We need modern containment laboratories with sufficient capacity to deal effectively with animal diseases. NBAF will provide essential laboratory capabilities our nation must acquire if we hope to protect ourselves against diseases like foot-and-mouth and the Nipah virus.

Over the past three years, Congress has provided the department with $46 million to select a location and begin preliminary designs for NBAF. The department plans to select a location for the facility by October of this year so that construction can begin by 2010. Six sites have been announced as finalists to house the new facility, one of which is in my home state of Mississippi.

I urge the department to meet the October 2008 deadline so that the work that has already been done with regard to the location of NBAF is not lost as a new administration takes over.

I commend the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate for its commitment to defend our country against biological and agricultural terrorist threats. Congress has a complementary responsibility to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security is supported with the proper authority and funding to develop the tools and knowledge necessary to address these challenges.

Moving forward with the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility is the right thing to do.

Cochran is ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.