III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 47 

Recognizing the importance of biosecurity and agrodefense in the United 

States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 10, 2011 

Mr. ROBERTS (for himself and Mr. MORAN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 

Forestry 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the importance of biosecurity and agrodefense 

in the United States. 

Whereas following the attacks of September 11, 2001, the 

Nation took notice of the global threat of terrorism; 

Whereas the new reality after the attacks of September 11, 

2001, led to an increase of resources focused on combating attack from the enemies of the United States; 

Whereas Congress established the Department of Homeland 

Security in 2002 with the intent of meeting the challenges plaguing our Nation; 

Whereas the attacks made visible the vulnerability of our food 

supply and agriculture economy; 


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•SRES 47 IS 

Whereas the President of the United States issued a Homeland Security Directive entitled the ‘‘Defense of United 

States Agriculture and Food’’ on January 30, 2004; 

Whereas the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Department of Agriculture recognized the 

challenges of agroterrorism early on; 

Whereas the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of 

Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism assessed in 

its 2008 report entitled ‘‘World At Risk’’, ‘‘the U.S. government has invested most of its nonproliferation efforts 

and diplomatic capital in preventing nuclear terrorism. 

The Commission believes that it should make the more 

likely threat—bioterrorism—a higher priority. Only by 

elevating the priority of the biological weapons threat will 

it be possible to bring about substantial improvements in 

global biosecurity’’; and 

Whereas the threat of attack from the enemies of the United 

States continues and there is much remaining work: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that— 

2 (1) while the United States continues to combat 

3 terrorism in all forms around the world, the safety, 

4 security, and health of our livestock and agriculture 

5 commodities must not be forgotten; 

6 (2) research and investment in biosecurity and 

7 biosafety should remain a top priority for Congress; 

8 (3) providing the resources, both intellectually 

9 and materially, for the advancement of vaccines and 

10 hopeful eradication of deadly pathogens and emergVerDate Mar 15 2010 22:22 Feb 10, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR47.IS SR47

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•SRES 47 IS 

1 ing zoonotic disease is an integral part of providing 

2 homeland defense; 

3 (4) a laboratory capable of handling such dead4 ly diseases is necessary to meet the demand for such 

5 resources, and such laboratory should be constructed 

6 to the highest standards of safety and security, and 

7 should meet the requirements of a biosafety level 4 

8 laboratory; 

9 (5) without the tools necessary to protect the 

10 citizens, agriculture economy, and food supply of the 

11 United States, the United States remains vulnerable 

12 to attack and chaos; 

13 (6) the world depends on the food and fiber 

14 that the United States produces; 

15 (7) the world depends on the leadership of the 

16 United States in science and technology; 

17 (8) the United States must remain the leader in 

18 the fight against bioterrorism; and 

19 (9) biosecurity and agrodefense are achievable 

20 goals for the United States in the global war on ter21 rorism. 

Æ 


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