The National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility: Issues for Congress

Abstract

The agricultural and food infrastructure of the United States is potentially susceptible to terrorist attack using biological pathogens. In addition to the impacts of such an attack on the economy, some animal diseases could potentially be transmitted to humans. These diseases are known as zoonotic diseases. Scientific and medical research on plant and animal diseases may lead to the discovery and development of new diagnostics and countermeasures, reducing the risk and impact of a successful terrorist attack. To safeguard the United States against animal disease, Congress has appropriated funds to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to engage in research at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC), off the coast of New York, on animal diseases not native to the United States. When creating the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2003, Congress transferred the PIADC facility from USDA to DHS. Both USDA and DHS, in cooperation with USDA, conduct foreign animal disease research at PIADC, but PIADC has been identified as outdated and too limited to continue as the primary facility for this research.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 19, 2008
Accession Number
ADA483300

Entities

People

  • Dana A. Shea
  • Frank Gottron
  • Jim D. Monke

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Animal Diseases
  • Congress
  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Environment
  • Governments
  • Homeland Security
  • Interagency Coordination
  • Medical Personnel
  • National Governments
  • National Security
  • New York
  • Research Facilities
  • Site Selection
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • Viruses

Readers

  • Defense Technology Research and Development.
  • Infectious Disease/Epidemiology
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.