For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 1, 2005
Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives
Dear Mr. Speaker:
Today, I outlined a strategy to address the threat of avian and pandemic
influenza. This strategy is designed to meet three critical goals: to
detect and contain outbreaks before they spread across the world, to
protect the American people by stockpiling vaccines and antiviral drugs
and accelerating the development of new vaccine technologies, and to
ensure that Federal, State, and local communities are prepared for
potential domestic outbreaks.
To provide the necessary resources to immediately begin the
implementation of this strategy, I ask the Congress to consider the
enclosed requests, totaling $7.1 billion, for the Departments of Health
and Human Services, Agriculture, Defense, Homeland Security, the
Interior, State, and Veterans Affairs, as well as for International
Assistance Programs.
I hereby designate the proposals in the amount requested herein as
emergency requirements, and I urge the Congress to act expeditiously on
this request to ensure the country is prepared for this growing danger.
The details of this request are set forth in the enclosed letter from
the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Sincerely,
GEORGE W. BUSH
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