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Mr. YODER. I rise today in strong opposition to the Bishop amendment.
Madam Chair, reports indicate that the most imminent, critical threat to our Nation's homeland security is a biological attack that could result in a serious food crisis brought on by disease spread by terrorists hoping to infect cattle and other livestock in the agriculture production in this country. Simply put, the results could be devastating.
The National Bio and Agro Defense facility, a safe, secure agricultural and bio-containment lab, is the proper facility to research and protect American agriculture from the threats that exist, both foreign and abroad, from agriculture bioterrorism.
I ask my colleagues today to join me in an effort to oppose the Bishop amendment, which would turn back the clock in our efforts to combat biological terrorism and which would save
the country no money in the name of stopping this very worthy project.
The facts on NBAF are clear.
The Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission's report, The Clock Is Ticking, indicates that the most imminent threat to our Nation's homeland security is a biological attack.
The same Commission gives our Nation a failing grade in our ability to recognize, respond to and recover from a biological attack.
Current and previous Administrations have affirmed these threats and the need to prepare and respond.
Currently, the Plum Island Animal Disease Center is where much of the Biosafety Level-3 Agricultural research is performed. However, this facility was built in the 1950s, is nearing the end of its lifecycle, and does not contain the necessary biosafety level facilities to meet the NBAF research requirements.
A rigorous, three-year site selection process for the NBAF was conducted by civil servants and independent experts in the Departments of Homeland Security and Agriculture.
Nearly 30 potential locations were reviewed all around the country, including Plum Island. After thorough risk, environmental, and security assessments were completed, Manhattan, Kansas was unanimously selected as the best place on the merits to carry out the NBAF's essential research mission.
NBAF in Manhattan, Kansas will be a state-of-the-art biocontainment facility for the study of foreign animal, emerging and zoonotic (transmitted from animals to humans) diseases that threaten the U.S. animal agriculture and public health.
The selection process was affirmed by the DHS Inspector General, was conducted in accordance with Federal regulations and was fair.
The funding for the NBAF was included in the budget and was not an earmark. The funding will be matched by more than $150 million from the State of Kansas and will also be offset by the sale of the antiquated Plum Island facility. The State of Kansas has already spent $18 million to prepare for the NBAF site.
It is crucial that we do not turn this discussion on the spending reductions our government must take into a debate between states. Funding of NBAF is not a local issue, it is a national issue rooted in our national security.
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