To this day, the Russian government and leading Russian biologists have never clearly admitted to the world that they had a large bioweapons program. They have not disclosed its extent or its basic work. They've never owned up to what they did. Instead, to this day, we continue to hear evasions, doublespeak, and outright lies. American experts who've been to Russia and inspected the biowarfare facilities have nagging suspicions that bioweapons research and development still continues in Russia.
Biological weapons are an ethical and scientific abomination, a disgrace to biology.
Leading American scientists should come out and say so, loudly and clearly. It's time for our scientific leadership to makes its voice heard. Biological weapons are exceedingly dangerous, but some sharp thinking and some wise planning right now can make us much safer. As a citizen and a parent of children, I thank you for this hearing and for your concern.