ROLL CALL: Congress Plans for the Worst
Wed Feb 12 2003 17:07:05 ET
Rising fears of a biological or chemical attack on the nation�s capital
have spurred Congressional leaders to begin scheduling closed-door
meetings with health and law-enforcement officials to discuss the
consequences of such a catastrophic event, ROLL CALL reported on Wednesday.
MORE
House Sergeant-at-Arms Bill Livingood is scheduled to brief Democrats
and Republicans today about steps being taken to secure the Capitol and
ensure Members� safety if an attack occurs.
�The Sergeant-at-Arms will offer advice, recommendations and update
people,� said House Administration Chairman Bob Ney (R-Ohio).
Across the Capitol, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said he
will ask Dr. John Eisold, a Navy admiral who serves as Congress�
attending physician, to brief the leadership on how the Capitol medical
community will respond should terrorists detonate a biological or
chemical device.
�I am going to ask him to come in and brief leadership of what is the
status here in Washington, because a lot of people are asking if
Washington is targeted and New York is targeted, what should you do?�
said Frist, himself a physician.
ROLL CALL's Mark Preston and Erin Billings REPORT:
So far, officials insisted, there is no master plan to inoculate
Members for smallpox or other contagions, said a spokesman for the
Attending Physician�s office, who noted the office plans to follow
guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Developing...
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