U.S. Spends More Than $40 Billion on Biodefense

U.S. biological defense spending and allocations since September 2001 have topped $40 billion, the Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation said in an analysis released last week (see GSN, March 12).

The Bush administration is seeking $6.77 billion in funding for fiscal 2008, a $550 million boost from appropriations for this fiscal year.  If approved by Congress, that amount would bring the U.S. total to more than $48 billion since fiscal 2001, the center said.

More than $31 billion through the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 has been directed toward “research, development, acquisition and stockpiling of medical countermeasures and protective equipment,” according to a center press release.  More than $3 billion has been directed toward medical surveillance and environmental detection of biological agents, while state, local and hospital preparedness efforts will have received more than $9 billion through fiscal 2008.

Less than 2 percent of funding, $875 million through fiscal 2008, has been allocated for preventing other nations or nonstate actors from developing, acquiring or using biological weapons, the center said.

“Prevention is inherently less expensive than preparedness and response, but the administration’s particularly low level of funding for prevention reflects the low priority it accords bioweapons prevention efforts in general,” said Alan Pearson, director of the center’s Biological and Chemical Weapons Control Program, in the release (Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation analysis, June 7).

Back to top
About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines © Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.