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Democrats to destroy Burr's bioterrorism panel

Barbara Barrett, Rob Christensen and Bill Krueger, Staff Writers
http://www.newsobserver.com/114/story/533837.html

The Senate subcommittee charged with overseeing the implementation of a bioterrorism law written by U.S. Sen. Richard Burr will be dissolved under the new Democratic leadership.

Burr, a Winston-Salem Republican, had been chairman of the Bioterrorism and Public Health Subcommittee of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
In that role, Burr helped usher in sweeping legislation that puts billions of dollars toward public health preparedness for bioterrorism and natural disasters. He also wrote legislation to create an agency for developing vaccines and countermeasures against biological, chemical and radiological threats.

In the minority, Burr would have been ranking member of the subcommittee.

But U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, chairman of the committee, plans to dissolve the subcommittee. He will bring its duties under the umbrella of the full committee.

Laura Caudell, a Burr spokeswoman, said Burr will work to ensure the legislation is fully implemented.

"He is going to remain committed to public health preparedness," she said.

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