The committee will come to order. I thank all of our witnesses for returning this morning. We appreciate the recognition of our interest and oversight responsibilities. This is a crisis that is evolving quickly. Since our hearing yesterday, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic. Cdc has now reported that we have almost 1,000 confirmed cases. That is up from 100 reported cases a week ago. A 900 increase. Americans are worried. They are scared. It is essential that we are able to hear directly from the Health Officials leading this effort with just the facts. Im going to go to the republican side first which is where we left off. Before i do that, without objection, the following three letters we sent on march 3rd to hhs and cdc requesting basic information including about t t testing are entered into the record. We have not gotten any response to those letters. And with that, i recognize mr. Higgins. Thank you, madam chair. Gentlemen, thank yo
The humanitarian agenda is a project that seeks to leverage the expertise of our scholars and programs to shine a light on the pressing humanitarian issues and offer policy solutions. Before we begin, i would like to direct everyones attention to emergency exits and encourage you to turn your phones to mute. I want to acknowledge before we begin the partnership that our program has at the u. S. Agency of International Development office of disastrous assistance to put on discussions. We have a short time today. All of us here today are aware of the suffering taking place in syria. Family and individuals have been forced into forced displacements and attacks on civilians and hospitals and clinics which challenge our notions of this violence increased the urgency of finding Durable Solutions to the humanitarian problems. While we are very grateful to our speaker today for joining us and hosting and having this event today, i find it deeply distressing and disappointing that we continue t
Strategic and international studies. Welcome as well to our viewers online. Kertser. Jacob its a project that we seek to leverage the expertise of our scholar and programs to shine a light in the humanitarian issues and offer policy solutions. Boyfriend we begin id like to direct everyone to our emergency exits and encourage you to turn your phones to mute. I want to acknowledge before we begin the partnership that our program has with the u. S. Agency for International Development of fornl Disaster Assistance whose support alouis to put events such as todays discussion. We have a short time today. All of us have aware of the immense suffering taking place right now. Familiar apply and individuals have been forced in multiple displacements. Targeted attacks on innocent civilians and on hospital and clinics all of which challenges are notions of shared humanity. The violence this past weekend only increase the urgency of finding solution first the humanitarian challenges faced by civili
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,
Year, the Vice President gave a speech on china which he took issue with basically the entire chinese model, the economic model, the political model, chinas, chinas stance on human rights, that was viewed then as the administrations hardline on china. So, the Vice President was set to give a speech just days before President Trump and president xi are set to have the meeting at g20 in china, however, now the white house is backing off of that. This decision comes just a couple days after of course President Trump and president xi got on the phone, had that phone call, which the president described it as productive, said there will be expanded meeting at the end of next week. The thinking here, neil, the tensions are being lowered between the u. S. And china on the trade front, just a little bit, heading into this Big Conversation next week. Speaking of tensions, completely different feel as it relates to iran, president acknowledging this morning that he had authorized a strike as reta