Bill 5047

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                    5047
Type of Legislation:            House Resolution HR
Introducing Body:               House
Introduced Date:                19980415
Primary Sponsor:                Barfield 
All Sponsors:                   Barfield 
Drafted Document Number:        kgh\15568sd.98
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:   19980423
Subject:                        Congress requests to ensure best
                                chemical and biological protective
                                equipment for military; Hazardous and
                                Nuclear Waste

Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________

House   19980423  Adopted
House   19980422  Committee report: Favorable              24 HIMR
House   19980415  Introduced, referred to Committee        24 HIMR

COMMITTEE REPORT

April 22, 1998

H. 5047

S. Printed 4/22/98--H.

Read the first time April 15, 1998.

To whom was referred a House Resolution (H. 5047), to memorialize the Congress of the United States and especially those members and committees charged with overseeing military preparedness, etc., respectfully

That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

RICHARD M. QUINN, JR., for Committee.

A HOUSE RESOLUTION

TO MEMORIALIZE THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES AND ESPECIALLY THOSE MEMBERS AND COMMITTEES CHARGED WITH OVERSEEING MILITARY PREPAREDNESS TO INVESTIGATE AND ENSURE THAT THE CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT WHICH IS PROVIDED TO UNITED STATES' SERVICE MEMBERS, WHEREVER THEY MAY BE DEPLOYED, IS THE BEST AND MOST EFFICACIOUS PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT THAT IS REASONABLY AVAILABLE THROUGH CURRENT TECHNOLOGY.

Whereas, a number of reputable sources such as the respected Jane's publication have called into question the durability of the chemical and biological protective masks provided to the United States' armed forces and its reserve components; and

Whereas, these sources indicate that the present chemical and protective masks have a very abbreviated protection time against chemical and biological agents, which in some cases is as brief as four minutes; and

Whereas, during the recent 1991 Gulf War, many United States' service members sustained exposure to chemical and biological agents of unknown origin, which exposures have caused prolonged medical consequences for these service members and which illnesses may be attributed in part to inferior chemical and biological protective equipment provided these soldiers; and

Whereas, there exists a current domestic threat that such chemical and biological agents may be used by terrorists within the boundaries of the United States of America; and

Whereas, the National Guards of the various states are designated to be the primary agency responding to domestic terrorist incidents which are likely to include terrorism by use of chemical and biological agents; and

Whereas, service members, whether deployed in situations of domestic terrorism or deployed overseas against foreign military forces, should expect to be provided chemical and biological protection equipment of the highest order reasonably available through modern technology. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the House of Representatives memorialize the Congress of the United States and especially those members and committees charged with overseeing military preparedness to investigate and ensure that the chemical and biological protection equipment which is provided to United States' service members, wherever they may be deployed, is the best and most efficacious protective equipment that is reasonably available through current technology.

Be it further resolved that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Senate of the United States, the United States House of Representatives, and each member of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation.