The Alliance for Biosecurity released the names of recipients of the 2016 Congressional Biosecurity Champion Awards on Monday
The winners include U.S. Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Brian Schatz (D-HI), along with U.S. Reps. Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Renee Ellmers (R-NC) and Andy Harris (R-MD).
The award acknowledges elected officials who have shown leadership and taken significant action to advance policies to improve U.S. national health security and preparedness. Contemporary medical countermeasures are vital for biological threats, both manmade and naturally occurring. Each member was chosen specifically for policy positions or bills that they have introduced.
Ayotte was chosen for sponsoring the First Responder Anthrax Preparedness Act. Baldwin was honored for her commitment for preparedness against pandemic influenza and other biological threats, while Blunt was singled out for securing funding increases for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and the Special Reserve Fund in 2016.
Cardenas received the award for his leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and cosponsoring the Strengthening Public Health Emergency Response Act of 2015, and DeGette was chosen for her support of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Elmer was honored for her support of biosecurity across the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise, while Harris received the award for his support of the Special Reserve Fund in 2016 and Schatz was chosen for his advocacy for medical countermeasure funding through BARDA.