Avian Influenza -- Science at the Forefront

Congressional Briefing for Members of Congress and Staff

Experts agree the question is no longer, "Will avian influenza arrive in North America?" but "When?". Early detection and rapid, effective response are essential to minimize its spread and reduce its presence. Come hear how the USGS, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are working with other Federal and State partners in a coordinated, scientific surveillance program aimed at protecting human and animal health from the impact of avian influenza.

• Susan Haseltine: Avian Influenza: Science at the Forefront  (4.67 MB)
• Dale Hall: Avian Influenza: Surveillance of Wild Brids  (7.77 MB)
• Ron DeHaven: The Wild Bird Population: An Early Warning System for Avian Influenza  (926 KB)

Handouts from January 27 briefing:

USGS

• Avian Influenza Fact Sheet  (PDF 416 KB)
• Avian Influenza Frequently Asked Questions  ( PDF version 217 KB)
• Preparing for the Potential Arrival of Asian H5N1 Avian Influenza in the United States  (Word)

APHIS

Avian Influenza: USDA Efforts and Response brochure  (PDF)
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
• Avian Influenza Fact Sheet
• Avian Influenza Questions and Answers

• World Health Organization and DU Meet to Discuss Bird (Avian)

• Senator Ted Stevens
• Senator Daniel Inouye
• Senator Wayne Allard
• Representative James Moran
• Representative Ron Kind
  

Speaker Biographies  (PDF 144 KB)

Ron DeHaven is the Administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture´s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) with responsibility for protecting U.S. agricultural and natural resources from exotic pests and diseases, administering the Animal Welfare Act, and carrying out wildlife damage management activities. DeHaven had served as Deputy Administrator for the APHIS Veterinary Services program since April 2002. He also served as Acting Associate Administrator for APHIS from October 2001 through April 2002. From 1996 to 2001, DeHaven was the Deputy Administrator for the Animal Care (AC) unit of APHIS, administering the Animal Welfare Act and the Horse Protection Act. Before that, DeHaven was AC´s Western Regional Director in Sacramento, CA, for 7 years. DeHaven was born in Salt Lake City, UT. He obtained a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Purdue University in 1975 and a Masters in Business Administration from Millsaps College in May 1989. After graduating from veterinary school, he spent 4 years in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps before beginning his career with APHIS in 1979.

H. Dale Hall is the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). A career FWS employee, he previously served as Regional Director for the Service´s Southwest Region, in Albuquerque, NM, responsible for directing FWS fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation, protection, and enhancement activities in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. In 1997, Hall was appointed Deputy Regional Director of the Service´s Southeast Region where he assisted with oversight of 15 ecosystems that range in diversity from the hardwoods of the lower Mississippi to the tropics of the Caribbean. From 1991 to 1997, Hall served as Assistant Regional Director for Ecological Services for the Pacific Region, managing FWS activities relating to the northern spotted owl, desert tortoise, endangered Hawaiian birds, and other listed species. Earlier in his career, he played a major role in developing the Service´s policy for management of the nation´s fisheries facilities. Hall received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and chemistry from Cumberland College in Williamsburg, KY, and a Master´s degree in fisheries science from Louisiana State University. He is the author of numerous published papers on wetlands, fisheries ecology, and other topics.

Susan Haseltine is the Associate Director for Biology at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). She began her career as a researcher with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, MD. After more than a decade as a researcher and research manager, she moved to the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center in Jamestown, ND, as Center Director. With the exception of a brief period as Assistant Regional Director for Wildlife in Minneapolis for FWS, she has remained in research administration at the regional and national level for the National Biological Service and the USGS. Haseltine grew up in a small town in Maine and received a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife science from the University of Maine. She earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in zoology from Ohio State University, investigating the physiological mechanisms of eggshell thinning in wild birds.

For information on the Avian Influenza Briefing on Capitol Hill, please call 703-648-4455.