Report
May 2024

The National Blueprint for Biodefense

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Table of Contents

  • PREFACE
  • SCENARIO
  • EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
  • THE BIOLOGICAL THREAT IS REAL AND GROWING
  • LEADERSHIP 
  • INTELLIGENCE, ATTRIBUTION, AND DETERRENCE
  • SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 
  • PREPAREDNESS
  • DETECTION AND SURVEILLANCE 
  • RESPONSE, RECOVERY, AND MITIGATION
  • CONCLUSION
  • APPENDIX A: ACRONYMS
  • APPENDIX B: METHODOLOGY
  • APPENDIX C: PUBLIC MEETINGS AND SPEAKERS
  • ENDNOTES

Commissioners

Joseph I. Lieberman, Chair
Senator (1989–2013)

Thomas J. Ridge, Chair
Governor of Pennsylvania (1995-2001),
Secretary of Homeland Security (2001-2003), Congressman (1983-1995)

Donna E. Shalala
Congresswoman (2019-2021), Secretary of Health and Human Services (1993-2001)

Thomas A. Daschle
Senate Majority Leader (2001-2003), Senate Minority Leader (2003-2005),
Senator (1987-2005), Congressman (1979-1987)

Frederick S. Upton
Congressman (1987-2023)

Susan L. Brooks
Congresswoman (2013-2021)

James C. Greenwood
Congressman (1993-2005)

Margaret A. Hamburg
Commissioner of Food and Drugs (2009-2015)

Ex Officio Members

Yonah Alexander, PhD
William B. Karesh, DVM
Rachel Levinson, MA
Lewis Libby, JD
Rajesh R. Panjabi, MD
Gerald W. Parker, DVM, PhD
George Poste, DVM, PhD, DSc
Tevi Troy, PhD

Staff

Asha M. George, DrPH, Executive Director
Ambika Bumb, PhD, Deputy Executive Director
Robert H. Bradley, Policy Principal
John T. O’Brien, MS, Research Principal
Patricia de la Sota, Operations Manager

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank the experts who spoke with the Commission and helped inform this report. We thank the National Security Council, Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, Office of Science and Technology Policy, and other White House staff, as well as Members of Congress and their staff for considering our findings and taking up many of our previous recommendations in legislation, report language, Executive Orders, and Presidential Directives. We recognize the challenges federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial government employees face in addressing biodefense and appreciate their efforts to implement our recommendations as well. We greatly appreciate the input provided by academia, industry, and nongovernmental organizations.

For their assistance and support, we thank the following: Steve Aaron, Mary Elizabeth Adler, Dr. Chris Bakerlee, Stephen Boyd, Max Brooks, Niki Carelli, Susan Galen, Vernell Glover, Mark Holman, David Lasseter, Lucy Mascaro, Evan Potler, Zaida Ricker, Darcell Savage, Dr. Andrew Snyder-Beattie, Dr. Marin Strmecki, Carla Uriona, Laurie Weisler, and Rebecca Wolfkiel.

We thank Dr. Yonah Alexander, Dr. William Karesh, I. Lewis Libby, Rachel Levinson, Dr. Raj Panjabi, Dr. Gerry Parker, Dr. George Poste, and Dr. Tevi Troy for serving as ex officio members of the Commission and sharing their expertise and knowledge.

We offer special thanks to our former Commissioners, the Honorable Lisa Monaco and the Honorable Ken Wainstein, and the former co-director of the Commission, Dr. Ellen Carlin.

We are grateful for the support of our donors and that of Hudson Institute,
which serves as our fiscal sponsor.

Finally, we thank all who defend our Nation against biological threats. We see what they do and commend them for their tireless efforts

Copyright © 2024 by the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense
All rights reserved.
www.biodefensecommission.org

Graphics and design by Factor3 Digital.
Base cover image courtesy of stock.adobe.com

Suggested Citation
Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense. (2024). The National Blueprint
for Biodefense: Immediate Action Needed to Defend Against Biological
Threats. Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense: Washington, DC.