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News Release

STATEMENT BY TOMMY G. THOMPSON
Secretary of Health and Human Services
On Senate HELP Committee Passage of Smallpox Compensation Bill

I commend the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and Chairman Judd Gregg for showing leadership in passing legislation to create a compensation program for public health and medical response teams who volunteer to receive smallpox vaccinations.

We are asking health professionals to perform a vital public duty as part of our comprehensive efforts to strengthen our public health system and protect the nation from a possible attack. Therefore, we want to provide these volunteers with the same benefits that we provide other public safety officers when they are injured on the job.

Again, I thank the members of this Senate committee for their quick and visionary action, and I look forward to working with all members in the coming days to provide our public safety officers protection if they are injured on the job.

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Last Revised: April 2, 2003