U.S. lawmakers to examine swine flu response

By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers plan to take a closer look this week at the federal government's response to the swine flu outbreak that has sickened people in five states and killed dozens in Mexico.

The U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee "will examine the recent outbreak of swine flu and the next steps for a federal response" at a hearing on Thursday, lawmakers said in statements issued on Monday.

The hearing will aim to "ensure that all the agencies responsible for protecting the public's health are coordinating appropriately with all due diligence to avert a potential disaster," said Democratic subcommittee chairman Frank Pallone.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee also scheduled a Wednesday hearing on "coordinating the federal response" to the swine flu. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's acting director, Richard Besser, will testify, a statement on the committee website said.

The swine flu virus has so far killed 149 people in Mexico, but has not caused deaths elsewhere despite spreading to the United States, Canada and parts of Europe, health officials have said. Cases have been confirmed in California, Kansas, Ohio, New York and Texas.

Efforts to prepare for a possible pandemic have been underway for years. Some health experts, however, have been critical of the federal government's work long-term to prepare for possible pandemics.

Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit group that advocates for emergency preparedness, said officials had made progress but called on Congress to fully fund a $7.1 billion flu strategy proposed by President George W. Bush.

The group said $870 million of that sum was included in the government's fiscal 2008 budget and in the 2009 economic stimulus bill but removed in both cases before passage.