STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN FRANK McCLOSKEY 
SUBCOMMITTEE ON POSTAL PERSONNEL 
AND MODERNIZATION 
October 5 , 1988 
IN JUNE, THIS SUBCOMMITTEE CONDUCTED A 
JOINT HEARING WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARMED 
SERVICES COMMITTEE ON THE TRANSPORTATION OF 
ETIOLOGIC AGENTS THROUGH THE U.S. MAIL. AT 
THAT TIME, THE SUBCOMMITTEE DISCOVERED THAT 
THERE WAS NO AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR 
ENFORCING THE RIGOROUS PACKAGING 
REQUIREMENTS DEVELOPED BY THE CENTERS FOR 
DISEASE CONTROL. 
THERE ARE STRINGENT PACKAGING 
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SHIPMENT OF ETIOLOGIC 
AGENTS. HOWEVER THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT 
THESE PACKAGING PROCEDURES ARE BEING 
FOLLOWED. IN FACT, THERE ARE REPORTS OF 
IMPROPERLY PACKAGED BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS 
Recombinant DNA Research, Volume 13 
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