This hearing will come to order ask without objection the chair is authorized to declare recess at any time. Let me say good morning and welcome to our witnesses. Todays hearing on vaccine science and innovation. Smallpox once plague said the worlds population plaguing 300 Million People in the 20th century alone. Smallpox is the only human disease to be eradicated thanks to the development of the vaccine. Another devastating disease, polio, had just 33 cases reported worldwide in 2018 compared to 350,000 cases in 1988. Every day vaccines are saving lives especially the lives of children and other vulnerable population. Theres no such thing as healthy skepticism when it comes to vaccines. Unfortunately, there is a wellfunded, Disinformation Campaign targeting the public and weakening Public Health laws. School vaccination requirements have been common place in the u. S. For generations and exemptions were granted only for legitimate medical reasons. However, in my home state of texas,
Congressman rick larsen and head of the c. D. C. s Influenza Division. From the u. S. Capitol center, this is about an hour. Now, i think it is now. I think ive got it. Once again, good morning, everyone. Thank you so much for coming this morning. I think it might be prepare for us just to pause for a moment. I lost a good friend last night, Dianne Feinstein was a friend of more than 30 years, just an incredibly effective and extraordinary member of the senate and leader and i mourn her loss in more ways than i could articulate this morning. Maybe a moment of silence for dianne and all of her contributions to our country might be appropriate. [moment of silence] for the past three years ive been privileged to serve as the chair of the coalition to stop flu. Were a multisector Advocacy Coalition dedicated to ending deaths from seasonal and pandemic influenza. An ambitious goal and one we actually believe is achievable. Now, maybe more than ever, our Coalition Members are a unified voice
Center, this is about an hour. Once again, good morning, everyone. Thank you so much for coming this morning. I think it might be appropriate for us just to pause for a moment. I lost a good friend last night. Dianne feinstein was a friend of more than 30 years. Just an incredibly effective and extraordinary member of the senate and leader and we mourn her loss in more ways than i can articulate this morning. But i thought maybe just a moment of silence in memory of dianne and all of her contributions to our country might be appropriate. For the past three years ive been privileged to serve as the chair of the coalition to stop flu. Were a multisector Advocacy Coalition dedicated to ending deaths from seasonal and pandemic influenza, an ambitious goal, but one we actually believe is achievable. Now maybe more than ever. Tom our Coalition Members are a unified voice for the influenza ecosystem that include organizations dedicated to Public Health, to patient advocacy, academic, scientif
Once again good morning everyone. Thank you so much for coming this morning. I think it might be appropriate for us to pause for a moment. I lost a good friend last night. Dianne feinstein was a friend of more than 30 years just an incredibly effective and extraordinary member of the senate and leader and we mourn her loss in more ways than i can articulate this morning. I thought we take a moment of silence in memory of dianne and ali for contributions to our country might be appropriate. [silence] for the past three years have been privileged to serve as the chair of the coalition. We are multisector Advocacy Coalition dedicated to ending deaths from seasonal and pandemic influenza. An ambitious goal and when we believe is achievable. Now maybe more than ever. Coalition members are a unified voice for the influence of the ecosystem including organizations dedicated to Public Health, patient advocacy, academic, Scientific Research in addition to health care professionals. The coalitio
Once again, good morning, everyone. Thank you so much for coming this morning. I think it might be appropriate for us just to pause for a moment. I lost a good friend last night. Dianne feinstein was a friend of more than 30 years. Just an incredibly effective and extraordinary member of the senate and leader and we mourn her loss in more ways than i can articulate this morning. But i thought maybe just a moment of silence in memory of dianne and all of her contributions to our country might be appropriate. For the past three years ive been privileged to serve as the chair of the coalition to stop flu. Were a multisector Advocacy Coalition dedicated to ending deaths from seasonal and pandemic influenza, an ambitious goal, but one we actually believe is achievable. Now maybe more than ever. Tom our Coalition Members are a unified voice for the influenza ecosystem that include organizations dedicated to Public Health, to patient advocacy, academic, scientific and research, in addition to