Insufficient Funds

"To protect against a bio-attack, you have to have medical counter-measures available and the government is significantly underfunding the programs that are designed to produce the necessary medial counter measures," says Former Senator Jim Talent, vice chair of the Commission. He adds that having all the pieces in place by now is a no brainer. "That's anti-terrorism 101."

That's just one of the problems the administration needs to figure out and quickly.

"We don't have a long learning curve on bio," says Talent.

Talent said a DHS briefing on the night before the report was released indicated and Anthrax attack could kill hundreds of thousands of people."

"We've just got to get ready."

A written statement from White House spokesman Nick Shapiro reads,

"Protecting the American people from WMD threats - whether nuclear, biological, or chemical - is among the President's top national security priorities. We are pleased to see that the Commission recognizes our efforts to extensively review existing approaches to biological security and we are taking steps to optimize these practices that will be increasingly apparent."

The statement from Shapiro continues, "as the Commission notes, we have been working to develop a strategy for countering biological threats that is uniquely tailored to the bio risk and will yield a comprehensive approach to managing these risks."

There is another concern. "The National Security Council does not yet have a Sr. political appointee with experience in the bio threat, which both the Bush and Clinton administration had, says Talent.

"The administration needs to light a fire under it's measures for dealing with that issue."

What's the hurry?

Talent says, "Our assessment last December was that the chances of a WMD attack by the terrorist are growing that they will reach a probability within 5 years and we felt a bio attack was more likely that a nuclear attack."

The statement from Shapiro addresses that as well, "The Commission recognized the Administration for the President's swift integration of the National and Homeland Security Council staff into a unified National Security Staff. This integration ensures that he receives expert advice and support on the full range of issues relevant to National and Homeland Security.

The President has organized his National Security Staff to ensure the full range of expertise is brought to bear to prevent and prepare for biological threats. The President is supported by two teams of experts within the National Security Staff that collectively have extensive scientific, public health, and medical expertise germane to managing biological risks. The Obama Administration has more staff invested in addressing WMD challenges - to include the full spectrum of biological risks - at all levels than previous administrations."

Shapiro's statement goes on to say, "The Commission recognized the President's creation of a WMD Coordinator as a key step forward. It is important to clarify that Dr. Gary Samore, the President's WMD Coordinator, is the lead official within the NSS for all non-proliferation issues and that he most definitely has the President's ear on nuclear and biological non-proliferation."

The Commission seems to say it's hoping the administration will be "there" and not "headed there" if and when something really bad happens.