The role of mayors in bioterrorism preparedness

Let me start out by thanking Tom Menino, Mayor of Boston, for his kind introduction, and thank him for his leadership.

And it's an honor to be here. I've had the privilege to speak to you three times now, and I have only been secretary about a year and 11 months. But I spoke to you in Denver and Detroit and Milwaukee. And it's nice to have you back in Washington, D.C.

I just don't know if we can have you come back too often, because, as I understand it, since you have been here, you've caused a flood...

(LAUGHTER)

... had a fire alarm. But it's awfully great to have you in Washington, D.C., your nation's capital, and I thank you so very much for coming and inviting me.

I also want to thank my friend Tom Cochran, who always does such a great job. I also thank Mayor Webb and Mayor Garner for the hard work they've done at this conference as well as in past conferences.

In my public service career I've worked with leaders at every level of government, from county to municipality to state legislators to governorships and now with the Congress. And in that time I've seen what a critical role forums like this one clearly play, not only for you, but also for your constituents in the lives of Americans.

So I congratulate you for coming together to share your ideas, your passion for public service, your lobbying for better services for the communities that you represent.

There's a few mayors here today who definitely deserve some attention, and I call upon them to take all the glory that they can have, from California and Florida, on the Raiders and the Bucs making it to the Super Bowl.

(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE)

I know that this is the Bucs' first time, and I know it's been a while for the Raiders. So take it from a Packers fan...

(LAUGHTER)

... it never gets old. So enjoy it, have a great time. It's a wonderful thing for your communities.

Some of you are newly elected mayors. To you I say welcome. Get ready for the most profound responsibilities that you've ever faced.

When it comes to so many things -- bioterrorism, disaster preparedness, smallpox vaccinations, medical and emergency responses--the lives of the people of your cities and towns are truly in your hands.

And as well all know, effective response to terrorism and disaster depends on swift, professional action at the local level. The first individuals to confront acts of bioterrorism, such as smallpox epidemic, will likely be with you, our nation's mayors.

You and your police forces, your first responders, your firefighters, your hospitals, your communities truly are going to be on the front lines. You will provide the first resources, the first personnel, and most crucially, the immediate leadership to deal with the situation at hand.

That is why I feel that we're helping you to prepare better. We're going to make sure that you have the resources to cope. We're prepared to back you up when that time comes.

I'm here to tell you now that we are purposefully and deliberately working with the state governments to make sure that you and every one of your communities gets the best possible return on the public health investment we're making.

I want to tell you that last January, when the Congress appropriated the money, $1.1 billion, which was the biggest infusion of dollars to build a state and local public health infrastructure, and we were able to send that money out in record time.

And I know that some of you were concerned about whether or not the resources would get to your communities. And a few months ago we got more help when the president signed the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism bill, which came from our department. It was drafted by my department. And this bill provides for $4.3 billion for bioterrorism preparedness. That's a 45 percent increase over the last fiscal year. It happens to be the biggest one-time investment in bioterrorism preparedness ever in this country.

And of course we're stockpiling vaccines and pharmaceuticals to rush to the site of any attack. Those vaccines include the smallpox vaccine, which we worked hard to secure for the American people.

We've gone in short order from virtually no formal smallpox vaccination capability to one that can, in a crisis, potentially protect all Americans. If there is a release of smallpox, we will immediately make vaccine available to the general public. We currently, ladies and gentlemen, have enough unlicensed vaccine to protect every man, woman and child in the United States, and we will have enough licensed vaccine in 2004.

The president's plan to administer vaccine is a strong plan, and I'm very proud to be able to support it.

I'm pleased to announce that today I signed a declaration that formally implements the president's plan. In fact, the first smallpox vaccinations are beginning this afternoon in Connecticut.

It is encouraging to see the vaccination program moving forward.
America and American cities are becoming better prepared.

By vaccinating groups of health care workers and emergency responders, we will make sure that smallpox response teams are available to vaccinate others and provide critical services in the days following the attack.

We know we're asking a lot from you. And I truly appreciate the effort and the commitment that all of you are making to protect your communities and to protect our nation. By working together with the president's plan, we will make all of our cities stronger, safer and better prepared for a smallpox attack.

Make no mistake: We can and must make the smallpox vaccination plan a reality.

We have given the states wide latitude to use the preparedness money as they see fit. I'm calling on them now to spend whatever it takes to assist the cities, the towns and communities in implementing smallpox vaccination.

I also want to point out that when we had the decision in regards to the $1.1 billion, we sent it to the states because we had to build a state and regional infrastructure. The next infusion of dollars which will be coming to my department is about $1.4 billion. We are in the process of auditing the states as to whether or not the money got to the communities and how much got to the communities.

We are going to be drafting the new guidance on how that money is to be used.

And I'm here to advise you and to inform you that more of that money is going to be going directly to the cities and to local communities for bio-preparedness.

(APPLAUSE)

This administration stands ready to help and to work as a partner with you in that effort. We owe the American people no less.

This is going to be an exciting year, ladies and gentlemen, for my Department of Health and Human Services, because after the war and the economy, health care issues are going to be the dominant issues.

As all of you know from your work every day, health care is the top domestic priority for you and for all Americans.

I urge you very much to watch closely the president's State of the Union address next week. He's going to have many strong initiatives that you and I are going to be working on over the next coming year, particularly regarding health care. The president has made it clear that health care will be one of his highest priorities for this year, from strengthening Medicare, to improving Medicaid and making changes, to expanding coverage for the uninsured, to preventing diseases, to helping people with disabilities live more independently.

One initiative that is particularly exciting to me, and not just because it was my idea, is a $125 million initiative, Steps to a Healthier U.S. It's an initiative to prevent diabetes, obesity and asthma by promoting community-based healthier lifestyles.

We're going to be giving out demonstration grants to several cities across America, and I can well imagine how innovative you mayors are if you get designated to become a healthy city, how you will be able to use that in advertising for economic development and for people to come visit and stay in your community.

It means we're going to be working with you, the mayors and the communities, to support community prevention efforts, encouraging healthier lifestyles for hundreds of thousands of Americans. We're going to provide grants to you on a competitive basis to develop innovative techniques to reduce chronic diseases in your communities--literally to create a healthier society.

Healthier families, happier people, and, yes, lower health costs is all part of our campaign to make prevention a centerpiece of American health care. We want to make a healthy investment up front to get people back into taking care of themselves, taking control of their lives by eating properly and exercising.

I was absolutely amazed when I came out here to find that 125 million Americans are suffering from chronic illnesses; 400,000 individuals die from tobacco-related illnesses, 300,000 American die directly related to obesity and 200,000 directly related to diabetes.

We are spending $117 billion on obesity-related illnesses, $100 billion on diabetes and $155 billion related to tobacco-related illnesses.

It is time, ladies and gentlemen, that we make changes in our lives. Every one of us can walk 30 minutes a day, every one of us can watch what we eat and lose a few pounds. We can take a leadership role from your great leader, Tom Cochran, who's been on a diet, has lost weight, looking very svelte and very fit. And all of us can follow through.

I put my whole department of Health and Human Services on a diet. And we're going to show the world that our department, who's leading the effort in heath care, also is taking care of itself individually.

(APPLAUSE)

Another important item in the president's budget is the New Freedom Initiative, an unprecedented commitment to removing the barriers that unnecessarily confine people with disabilities in institutional settings. We're improving key federal programs to significantly enhance the opportunity for Americans with disabilities to live and to work in their communities.

We will be investing $2.1 billion--yes, billions--into a New Freedom Initiative to improve all federal programs, develop new ones that will serve people with disabilities in settings that work directly for them.

As you can see from what I've told you, health care is going to be front and center this year. And as I mentioned, the president will have much more to say about it next week when he gives his State of the Union.

But rest assured, I look forward to working with each of you after it's rolled out during the coming year to ensure that our health care system is the strongest as it can be. This is a compassionate step we can take for our friends, our neighbors and loved ones, and ones that you, the community leaders of our great nation, are uniquely able to represent.

While 60 percent of Americans are eligible to donate blood, only 5 percent do.

We can do better. We must do better. I challenge every one of you to accept my secretarial blood challenge. And I challenge you to challenge the people of your communities to accept it as well.

This weekend I will be traveling to Davos, Switzerland to address the World Economic Forum. I have been asked to give a speech entitled, ``An Era of Fear.'' I can understand why they asked me to do it. In so many ways, it seems like an era of fear. The economy is uncertain, budgets are tight, war looms, and the threat of terrorism stalks our days and nights.

But we must never forget that this is also, ladies and gentlemen, an era of hope. We stand on the cusp of the 21st century with greater scientific, technological and moral knowledge than men has ever had. Our potential is vast, limited only by our vision and our will. With the leadership of you, the Congress, the president of the United States, the compassionate American people and the passion of leaders which are represented in this room here today, the era of hope and optimism will be long and bright.

God bless you all. And God bless the United States of America.

Last Revised: January 28, 2003

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