Protecting the United States from threats is a core responsibility of the Federal government. We have robust national defense capabilities that provide us with broad and deep protection against human threats, including missiles, terrorism, and cyberattacks. In the 21st century, we also need robust national biodefense capabilities that will provide us with broad and deep protection against biological threats, ranging from the ongoing and increasing risk of pandemic disease, to the possibility of laboratory accidents and the deliberate use of bioweapons. 

The current pandemic has illustrated the seriousness of biological threats. As of mid-August 2021, COVID-19 has killed over 4.3 million globally, with excess-mortality estimates suggesting a death toll exceeding 10 million. In the United States, the number of deaths directly attributed to COVID-19 has surpassed 623,000, with many recovered patients living with long-term effects. The economic damage to the U.S. has been estimated at $16 trillion dollars in lost economic output, direct spending, mortality and morbidity1. And, the societal impact has been borne disproportionately by front-line and vulnerable populations, especially people of color.  

As devastating as the COVID-19 pandemic is, there is a reasonable likelihood that another serious pandemic that may be worse than COVID-19 will occur soon — possibly within the next decade. Unless we make transformative investments in pandemic preparedness2 now, we will not be meaningfully prepared.