Senate Bills - 108th Congress

S. 15—Project BioShield Act of 2003 and the Biodefense Improvement and Treatment for America Act

On March 19, 2003, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (Senator Judd Gregg [R-NH], Chairman) reported out, by a vote of 21 to 0, S. 15, the Project BioShield Act of 2003, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute by Senator Gregg. The Project BioShield Act of 2003 is Title 11 of the original bill introduced by Senator Gregg on March 11 as the Biodefense Improvement and Treatment for America Act. The Project BioShield Act of 2003, would provide the Secretary of HHS with authorities for expedited procurement and peer review related to biomedical countermeasures research, and for securing the personal services of experts or consultants with relevant expertise. NIAID would be designated the lead institute for biological countermeasures research at NIH.

The original S. 15, the Biodefense Improvement and Treatment for America Act, would amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the payment of compensation for certain individuals with injuries resulting from the administration of smallpox countermeasures; to provide protections and countermeasures against chemical, radiological, or nuclear agents that may be used in a terrorist attack against the United States; and to improve immunization rates by increasing the distribution of vaccines and improving and clarifying the vaccine injury compensation program.

COMMITTEE/SUBCOMMITTEE ACTION

May 19, 2004 – The Senate passed S. 15 by a vote of 99-0.

July 14, 2004 – The House passed S. 15 by a vote of 414-2.

PRESIDENTIAL ACTION

July 21, 2004 – The President signed S. 15 into law as P.L. 108-276.

Legislative Update (August 2004): Project BioShield Act of 2004

Legislative Update (August 2003): Biological, Chemical, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense