For Immediate Release
April 30, 2003

Statement on H.R. 1770
Statement by the Press Secretary

On Wednesday, April 30, 2003, the President signed into law:

H.R. 1770, the "Smallpox Emergency Personnel Protection Act of 2003" which establishes a new Federal program to compensate eligible health care workers, public safety personnel, and other first responders who suffer serious reactions or die as a result of receiving the smallpox vaccine.