Senators ask for full report on runaway TB patient
Sens. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) have asked the Government Accountability Office for a detailed report on the case of Andrew Speaker, the Georgia man who was able to slip back into the United States, through Canada, even though federal health and security officials thought he was infected with an extremely drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis.
Lieberman, who chairs the Senate committee overseeing the Homeland Security Department, and his colleagues sent a letter yesterday to GAO chief David Walker, asking for a "thorough chronological account of the significant events and communications that occurred..." The incident "raises questions not only about events that transpired...but in the federal government’s overall approach to safeguarding our nation from public health threats before they reach our borders," the Senators wrote.
Speaker's case also raised serious questions about how the federal government has adapted to the specific nature of terrorists threats--namely, that terrorists do not behave rationally and frequently engage in unpredictable behavior. Speaker was no terrorist--and as it turns out, he had a less-serious form of TB than previously thought--but many of his evasive actions, to include entering the United States through Canada in an apparent attempt to avoid detection by U.S. authorities, shed a light on the government's terrorism responses. At many points in the tale, officials seemed to think that Speaker would behave rationally and not try to slip past them.
The full text of the senators letter follows:
July 24, 2007
The Honorable David Walker, Comptroller General
U.S. Government Accountability Office
441 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20548
Dear Mr. Walker,
The recent case involving Andrew Speaker’s putative extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has exposed a disturbing picture of the federal government’s ability to respond to a known public health incident and protect our homeland security. Thankfully it appears unlikely that this incident has resulted in the infection of more individuals with TB, but we must determine exactly what went wrong and do all that we can to ensure this does not happen again. The miscommunication, insufficient coordination and the ultimate response on the part of the agencies involved are troubling.
We, like many others, are concerned by the public health threat posed by both XDR-TB and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), and we believe the events of the past few weeks highlight the lack of preparedness on the part of our government in responding to a public health incident. Although both XDR-TB and MDR-TB make up less than 2% of the over 13,000 cases of tuberculosis reported in the United States on an annual basis, they present a grave public health threat. In addition to the individual threat that is posed by drug-resistant TB, this incident goes to the heart of our nation’s response to serious public health threats.
Mr. Speaker’s ability to cross our borders raises questions not only about events that transpired at that inland port but in the federal government’s overall approach to safeguarding our nation from public health threats before they reach our borders.
We should never again have a situation where delays and failures in communication between the federal government, other domestic public health officials and relevant commercial entities lead to needless exposure and risk. We need to assure the American people that our government can respond in a coordinated manner to these types of public health incidents. This incident should serve as a wake-up call that we need to establish and exercise effective plans to deal with the travel of known public health threats.
To help us better understand this incident, we would like GAO to (1) review and describe the sequence of events, establishing a thorough chronological account of the significant events and communications that occurred, and (2) assess the sequence to answer the following questions:
* To what extent did responsible federal agencies and other key organizations--including CDC, DHS, DOT, and relevant state and local health departments, international health organizations, foreign governments, and airlines--have plans, protocols, agreements, and processes in place to provide for effective coordination and information sharing and for prompt notification and response to the incident?
* To what extent were these followed?
* What information systems, databases, and networks were used in responding to this incident? To what extent did they provide needed information in a timely manner?
* What lessons learned did the incident reveal about the systems, processes, and protocols used to respond and how are agencies integrating these lessons learned to prevent future such incidents? What quarantine protocols or procedures are applicable to similar incidents? How are agencies safeguarding civil liberties when implementing changes?
As you proceed with this study, we ask that GAO apprise us of any external impairment that could potentially delay its completion in a timely manner. If you have any questions regarding this request, please contact us or our staff.
Sincerely,
Joseph I. Lieberman
United States Senator
Susan M. Collins
United States Senator
Hillary Rodham Clinton
United States Senator
Sens. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) have asked the Government Accountability Office for a detailed report on the case of Andrew Speaker, the Georgia man who was able to slip back into the United States, through Canada, even though federal health and security officials thought he was infected with an extremely drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis.
Lieberman, who chairs the Senate committee overseeing the Homeland Security Department, and his colleagues sent a letter yesterday to GAO chief David Walker, asking for a "thorough chronological account of the significant events and communications that occurred..." The incident "raises questions not only about events that transpired...but in the federal government’s overall approach to safeguarding our nation from public health threats before they reach our borders," the Senators wrote.
Speaker's case also raised serious questions about how the federal government has adapted to the specific nature of terrorists threats--namely, that terrorists do not behave rationally and frequently engage in unpredictable behavior. Speaker was no terrorist--and as it turns out, he had a less-serious form of TB than previously thought--but many of his evasive actions, to include entering the United States through Canada in an apparent attempt to avoid detection by U.S. authorities, shed a light on the government's terrorism responses. At many points in the tale, officials seemed to think that Speaker would behave rationally and not try to slip past them.
The full text of the senators letter follows:
July 24, 2007
The Honorable David Walker, Comptroller General
U.S. Government Accountability Office
441 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20548
Dear Mr. Walker,
The recent case involving Andrew Speaker’s putative extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has exposed a disturbing picture of the federal government’s ability to respond to a known public health incident and protect our homeland security. Thankfully it appears unlikely that this incident has resulted in the infection of more individuals with TB, but we must determine exactly what went wrong and do all that we can to ensure this does not happen again. The miscommunication, insufficient coordination and the ultimate response on the part of the agencies involved are troubling.
We, like many others, are concerned by the public health threat posed by both XDR-TB and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), and we believe the events of the past few weeks highlight the lack of preparedness on the part of our government in responding to a public health incident. Although both XDR-TB and MDR-TB make up less than 2% of the over 13,000 cases of tuberculosis reported in the United States on an annual basis, they present a grave public health threat. In addition to the individual threat that is posed by drug-resistant TB, this incident goes to the heart of our nation’s response to serious public health threats.
Mr. Speaker’s ability to cross our borders raises questions not only about events that transpired at that inland port but in the federal government’s overall approach to safeguarding our nation from public health threats before they reach our borders.
We should never again have a situation where delays and failures in communication between the federal government, other domestic public health officials and relevant commercial entities lead to needless exposure and risk. We need to assure the American people that our government can respond in a coordinated manner to these types of public health incidents. This incident should serve as a wake-up call that we need to establish and exercise effective plans to deal with the travel of known public health threats.
To help us better understand this incident, we would like GAO to (1) review and describe the sequence of events, establishing a thorough chronological account of the significant events and communications that occurred, and (2) assess the sequence to answer the following questions:
* To what extent did responsible federal agencies and other key organizations--including CDC, DHS, DOT, and relevant state and local health departments, international health organizations, foreign governments, and airlines--have plans, protocols, agreements, and processes in place to provide for effective coordination and information sharing and for prompt notification and response to the incident?
* To what extent were these followed?
* What information systems, databases, and networks were used in responding to this incident? To what extent did they provide needed information in a timely manner?
* What lessons learned did the incident reveal about the systems, processes, and protocols used to respond and how are agencies integrating these lessons learned to prevent future such incidents? What quarantine protocols or procedures are applicable to similar incidents? How are agencies safeguarding civil liberties when implementing changes?
As you proceed with this study, we ask that GAO apprise us of any external impairment that could potentially delay its completion in a timely manner. If you have any questions regarding this request, please contact us or our staff.
Sincerely,
Joseph I. Lieberman
United States Senator
Susan M. Collins
United States Senator
Hillary Rodham Clinton
United States Senator
Labels: Homeland Security, Terrorism