Swine Flu Outbreak Revives Controversy Over Stimulus Funds & Sen. Susan Collins

[spanone]

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee announced today it will hold a hearing this Wednesday on the federal government's response to the swine flu outbreak, even as a controversy is brewing over the role a senior member of the panel played in blocking funds for just this kind of public health emergency.

The liberal blogosphere has been percolating this morning with criticism of Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), the top Republican on HSGAC, for having helped to strip close to $900 million for pandemic influenza preparedness from the economic stimulus package back in February. That bill passed with the crucial support of Collins and just two other Republicans after a handful of controversial or arguably non-stimulative items were removed, including the pandemic funding.

"Everybody in the room is concerned about a pandemic flu," Collins said at the time, referring to the stimulus negotiations. "But does it belong in this bill? Should we have $870 million in this bill? No, we should not."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/?hpid=topnews

[Kip Humphrey]

1. I hope for Sen. Collins' sake, this does not become a pandemic. I bet she's believin' in HOPE too!

[cpompilo]

2. Perhaps Susuan Collins and the other two repugs

will contract Swine Flu. I'm not mean enough to wish that on them, but if it occurs it will be instant karma.