Despite the rancor that accompanies the election cycle, Congress can get one very important thing done before the fall elections - fully fund pandemic response and prevention plans in the name of national security.
When appropriating money to fund the federal government for the next fiscal year, preventing future pandemics is of paramount importance. The federal government must continue to work on strengthening our nation’s defenses against pandemics and other security threats which impact public health. These investments to prevent future public health catastrophes can be categorized as providing for the common defense as memorialized in the preamble of the U.S. Constitution. Conservative lawmakers ought to offer full support, as these elected officials believe in a limited government that works to protect the American people from threats both foreign and domestic – and pandemics qualify.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans suffered unprecedented levels of death, illness, and economic pain. The estimated deaths exceeded 1 million and the cost to the economy was at least $16 trillion. The pandemic caused – and continues to affect - supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, a surge in the use of health care resources and a major hit to small businesses. America simply can’t go through another devastating pandemic unprepared and without adequate defenses.
We now know America was not prepared for a pandemic. COVID-19 was likely in the U.S. well before the public was warned about the virus. Reuters reported on June 15, 2021, “At least seven people in five U.S. states were infected with the novel coronavirus weeks before the states reported their first cases, a large new government study showed, pointing to the presence of the virus in the country as early as December 2019.” Now we are very aware of the dire consequences of being unprepared, and it is time to take preventative measures to address the next outbreak before it happens.
The posture of the federal government ought to be ‘Never Again.’
Targeted federal funding of biodefense and pandemic preparedness makes sense for conservatives because it will save lives and prevent future harm to the economy. For example, in its budget request, the Biden administration asked for $88.2 billion in targeted investments in biodefense and pandemic preparedness over the next five years. This year, Congress needs to make sure the targeted investments in the appropriations measures funding the government are sufficient to start creating the right infrastructure to prevent future pandemics. On June 22, 2022, the House Appropriations Committee released their funding plans for the next year for Labor, Health and Human Services, and Related Agencies funding which includes $845 million, an increase of $100 million above the FY 2022 enacted level, for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). BARDA, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, has been an essential component to our nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency is tasked to work to prevent future outbreaks – mostly focused on medical interventions and vaccine development.
Congress is considering the BARDA appropriations request, as well as funding other executive agencies engaged in public health emergency response and prevention, that will fulfill the promise to the American people of providing a common defense in the future for the next outbreak. The American people want this. The best way to prevent a future pandemic is to invest in research and development for vaccines and treatments, track threats the moment they become a risk, and to manufacture more cutting-edge protective equipment. Another measure is to invest in preventative measures to stamp out threats from bioengineering and pathogens. America’s disease surveillance capabilities need an upgrade, and the L-HHS appropriations bill is a step in the right direction.
Think about it this way - just as the federal government invests billions in missile defense, the latest fighter jets, and retaining adequate numbers of military personnel to protect America, we need to invest in fighting biohazards that could prove to be a greater threat to the homeland. Unfortunately, pandemic prevention is a national security issue in need of far more resources as Congress is only now realizing the impact of these threats.
No matter who controls Congress after this fall, the American people will demand that Congress and the Biden administration invest in protective equipment, and fix supply chain issues while improving biosafety and security. Congress is inadequate at staying abreast of evolving technology and science, yet they need to make sure they limit the possibility of public exposure by studying the prevalence of lab accidents, the creation of weapons-grade dual use biohazards, and controversial gain of function research. Resources are needed to make schools and businesses pandemic proof. These are merely a few specific steps needed to be taken to prevent the next threat.
A good government goal should be to make COVID-19 the last serious pandemic and conservatives should take the lead on ensuring the safety and security of the American people.
Peter Mihalick is former legislative director and counsel to former Reps. Barbara Comstock, Virginia Republican, and Rodney Blum, Iowa Republican.