Senate passes bill to give anthrax vaccines to first responders

The U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Chris Coons (D-DE) that makes anthrax vaccines available to first responders.

The First Responder Anthrax Preparedness Act has been endorsed by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Association of Emergency Medical Services Chiefs and the Alliance for Biosecurity.

The legislation directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to set up a pilot program that provides eligible anthrax vaccines from the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile to first responders who would be at the highest-risk of exposure to anthrax during a potential attack. The vaccines from the stockpile that would be given to law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services would be nearing the end of the vaccines’ labeled dates of use.

“Our bill has received support from both sides of the aisle and would take important steps to equip our first responders with anthrax vaccines that would otherwise go to waste,” Ayotte said. “I’ve always been proud to support our first responders who put their lives on the line everyday to protect and serve our communities, and I applaud my colleagues for finally passing this important legislation.”

The legislation first passed the U.S. House last July, and was approved unanimously in December 2015 by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

The Blue Ribbon Panel for Biodefense, co-chaired by former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, first made the recommendation for the legislation and expressed support for Ayotte’s bill.

During preliminary hearings, Lieberman said that terrorist groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) have specifically endorsed the use of biological weapons and threatened to use them against the United States.

“After an anthrax attack, first responders may find themselves having to react immediately to the incident before complete information is available, which may increase their risk for exposure,” said Dr. Aaron Firoved, director of the National Biosurveillance Integration Center and senior biodefense advisor at the Department of Homeland Security, after an April biodefense hearing.

“Pre-event voluntary anthrax vaccinations will help reduce the risk and strengthen first responder preparedness and protection,” Firoved added.

The bill is expected to be signed into law by the president.