Senate OKs $5.6B for Chemical Defense

Thursday May 20, 2004 2:16 PM


By JESSE J. HOLLAND

Associated Press Writer

<Snip>

WASHINGTON (AP) - The discovery of sarin gas in Iraq and the use of anthrax and ricin against Congress spurred the Senate Wednesday to approve $5.6 billion to help prepare for possible germ or chemical attacks on American soil.

The Senate, on a 99-0 vote, approved ``Project BioShield'' legislation to pay for research, production and stockpiling of vaccines and antidotes for bioterror agents. The House already has approved the legislation, and lawmakers on both sides say they hope to soon have it to President Bush for his signature.

Bush commended the Senate for passing the legislation. ``BioShield will speed the development of new vaccines and treatments that would help prevent harm to Americans in a terrorist attack,'' the president said in a statement.

Lawmakers are moving quickly on the legislation because America is not prepared for a major bioterror attack, said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn. The sarin gas discovered in a roadside bomb Monday in Iraq, and the ricin and anthrax attacks on the Capitol complex ``demonstrated that bioterror is here,'' said Frist, whose office was mailed a letter containing ricin last fall. ``It's on our own soil, it's hit this nation, hit this Capitol, hit the entire East Coast, and indeed it was deadly.''


More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4112167,00.html

when it's some posturing boondoggle like this.

Incentives to pharmaceuticals, yet no regulations on chemical plant security. Which of the two will give money or tax breaks to industry? Which will actually help prevent an attack? Boondoggle is right.

Tuesday of Homeland Security saying A-Q determined to strike with chem/bio and the Sarin BS last week.



AP Interview: Al-Qaida wants to strike U.S. with chemical, biological weapon

Senior intelligence officials are working well together three years after the 9/11 attacks, but some tension remains among rank-and-file personnel, the Homeland Security Department's top intelligence official says.

The comments from retired Lt. Gen. Patrick Hughes come as Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge appears before the Sept. 11 commission to discuss his new department's role in securing the nation.

Hughes worries about an increased risk of attack in the coming months and says he believes al-Qaida wants to strike on U.S. soil with something other than a conventional explosive -- perhaps with a chemical or biological weapon.

....

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/05/18/national1629EDT0683.DTL


What companies will benefit?

Here's some:

HomelandDefenseStocks.com Reports on Biodefense & Chemical Detection Stocks Following Approval of Project BioShield $5.6 Billion Bill
POINT ROBERTS, WA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 05/20/2004 -- www.HomelandDefenseStocks.com (HDS), an investment research portal for the Homeland Defense and Security Sector, reports on the Senate Approval of Project BioShield, a $5.6 Billion bill allocating funds over ten years for stockpiling new vaccines and developing countermeasures to protect against bioterrorism attacks. Additionally the bill will incite research in the public and private arenas. Biodefense stocks Hollis-Eden Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Vical, Inc. and VaxGen, Inc. rallied in response to the vote, with Hollis-Eden realizing strong gains. According to research by Frost and Sullivan (World Chemical and Biological Agent Detector Markets), the future for both biological and chemical detection markets looks positive as ongoing terrorist activities create an urgent demand for detection and protection solutions. A major challenge for the Department of Homeland Security is finding new methods to detect and identify ambient pathogens in real-time. Current procedures entail laboratory analysis that can only identify an attack long after it has happened. Companies that successfully develop portable, durable biosensors that can be effectively deployed by first responders can expect a ready market for their products.

Chemical weapons are organic and inorganic chemical substances harmful to humans including Nerve Agents such as VX, Sarin, Soman, and Tabun, Blister Agentssuch as Sulfur-Mustards, Phosgene Oxime, Nitrogen-Mustards, Blood agents like Cyanogen Chloride and Hydrogen Cyanide and Choking Agents including Ammonia. Biological weapons are diseases that can be used as potential military weapons including Anthrax, Plague, Ricin, and Smallpox. There are several private and public companies competing in the chemical detection and biodefense sector.

more:

http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=67594

Don't see Neil Bush's (former? nobody knows) Elusys mentioned.... http://www.elusys.com

Neil Bush, younger brother of Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush and Florida governor Jeb Bush, is the board member credited with raising the initial cash to form EluSys. Though Bush says he no longer plays an active role, a board meeting was held at the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine, and Wolf has returned for other visits. Bush pledges that, should George W. get elected to the White House, "I'm definitely going to resign immediately. Given the marketplace perception , it would be a terrible thing for the company."

(Sure Neil--like you give a shit).

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0035/baard.php