Senators Announce Deal on
Controversial Homeland Security Provisions
January 17, 2003 - Three moderate Republican Senators
announced Jan. 10 they have reached agreement with the Senate
leadership to change or eliminate controversial provisions
that were added last year to the law (P.L.
107-296) creating the new Department of Homeland Security.
Senators Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Susan Collins (R-Maine),
and Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.) worked with Majority Leader Bill
Frist (R-Tenn.) and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Committee Chairman Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) to broker the deal,
which includes: removing legal protections provided to companies
producing certain vaccines, limiting the ability of the new
department to contract with companies that had moved overseas
to avoid U.S. taxes, and broadening the definition of universities
that can compete for homeland security research.
The liability protections were viewed as a shield for large
vaccine manufacturers, in particular, Eli Lilly, which is
embroiled in lawsuits over the vaccine preservative thimerosal,
believed to cause autism in children. The original definition
of universities qualified to sponsor a homeland security research
center was said to favor Texas A&M University.
The new language will be added to the omnibus spending bill
for domestic programs that the Senate is currently considering.
The senators said they expect the House to "go along"
with the Senate provisions.
Information:
Erica Froyd, Director, Public Health and Research Legislative Affairs
AAMC Government Relations
efroyd@aamc.org
(202) 828-0525
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