Manufacturing Delays Responsible For H1N1 Vaccine Shortage, Says Health And Human Services Official

By Marianna Levyash- Talk Radio News Service

A Health and Human Services official attributed the H1N1 vaccine shortage to manufacturing delays during a briefing Wednesday with the House Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee.

“While modest amounts of vaccine have been made ahead of schedule, poor production yields with the initial vaccine strains, late completion of seasonal influenza vaccine manufacturing, equipment failures on new production lines have caused significant delays," said Nicole Lurie, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at HHS.

Lurie also added that a handful of the countries producing vaccines have decided to give their population priority.

The Assistant Secretary assured the committee that HHS is doing everything in its power to assist the manufacturers to accelerating production.

Ranking Member Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.) took a somewhat different stance on the vaccine delay, attributing it to domestic political policies.

“We have fewer [manufacturing companies] than we did a decade ago ... some of that is based on what barriers the federal government has placed in front of creating businesses and keeping jobs in America.”

Senators Assure Small Businesses That Health Reform Will Help Them

By Marianna Levyash-Talk Radio News Service

Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.) welcomed over 100 small business owners from 26 states Tuesday to tell their stories about the problems they’ve experienced with the current health care system.

“This morning we have a simple message for the small business owners across America...help is on the way,” said Harkin.

Currently, small businesses pay up to 18% more per employee to receive the same healthcare coverage as a large business. Health premiums have increased more than 74% for small businesses over the last eight years.

The Senate's health care bill will create an exchange system that specifically targets small business owners and the self-employed with a shop exchange, where states assist small businesses that choose to use the exchange. States that elect to do so will also get technical assistance.

Senator Landrieu stated that “these exchanges can work for the small businesses that we are depending on to lift and lead this nation out of this recession.”

The business owners will continue urging for health care reform throughout the day on Capitol Hill and at the White House.

Napolitano Launches National Cybersecurity Center

By Marianna Levyash- Talk Radio News Service

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano opened the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) in Arlington, Virginia Friday, with the aim of providing a 24-hour, 365-day watch over the U.S. cyber infrastructure.

“It will help us move foward into a unified center,” said Napolitano during the opening ceremony.

The center was established so that several cyber-security organizations, such as the National Cybersecurity Center (NCSC), the DHS Office Of Intelligence and Analysis and select private sector groups, could work together to respond to foreign and domestic on-line threats.

The facility reflects Napolitano and President Barack Obama’s desire to boost information sharing in order to supervise the nation’s networks.

“Obama understands where we are,” said Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.). “We are being attacked everyday.”

GOP Senators Prepare For Filibuster On Healthcare Bill

By Marianna Levyash - Talk Radio News Service

In a news conference on Wednesday, Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) said that they are fully prepared to block any Democratic efforts to end debate on the Senate's healthcare reform bill.

"It looks like the next vote will be a vote to move to the bill and that will be the first vote for or against the bill that will, as presently constructed, raise premiums, raise taxes, cut medicare...and create a new government-run insurance program," said Alexander.

The Tennessee Republican stated his belief that each member of the Senate "will be looking at this vote in terms of having consistency...and whether they'll vote for the final bill."

"60 votes would end the debate...and that is an important thing to keep in mind," added Johanns.

Both Alexander and Johanns repeated the GOP's message that the Democratically-backed legislation is "fundamentally flawed."

Lieberman: Passing Prevention And Preparedness Act Is Urgent

By Marianna Levyash - Talk Radio News Service

The US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs met Wednesday to markup the Weapons of Mass Destruction Prevention and Preparedness Act of 2009.

The bill heeds the recommendations of Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and the Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism that an attack featuring biological weapons of mass destruction is likely to occur by the year 2013.

According to a fact sheet released by the committee, the bill implements a "tiered-system" list of toxins and recommends that facilities handling the most dangerous toxins install the highest security measures.

Committee Chair Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) emphasized the need for swift passage of the legislation.

"It is my intention to reconvene as soon as possible to put the amendments on the bill," he said.

The committee will hold another mark-up session in the coming weeks.