NEWS
Page 6 THE BATTALION Friday.Febnay
House panel calls for
end to anthrax shots
WASHINGTON (AP) — The program to inoculate
all 2.4 million American military personnel against an
thrax as protection against biological warfare is based
on “a paucity of science” and should be suspended, a
House panel says in a report sharply critical of the De
fense Department.
The anthrax vaccine should be considered experi
mental because its effectiveness against biological war
fare is uncertain and the safety of troops taking the an
thrax shots is not being monitored adequately,
according to the report released today by the House
No court-martial for
major refusing shot
DOVER, Del. (AP) — The Air Force says it won’t
court-martial a major who questioned the safety of the
military’s anthrax vaccine and refused the mandatory
injections.
Maj. Sonnie Bates, a 14-year, decorated pilot, was be
lieved to have been the highest-ranking Air Force offi
cer on track to face a court-martial for refusing the an
thrax vaccine.
Instead, Bates has agreed to an administrative hear
ing by his commander at Dover Air Force Base that
could result in sanctions ranging from a loss of pay to
30 days arrest.
Under the agreement, there will be no conviction on
his record, and the base commander could decide not to
punish him.
Bates has been on administrative duty and grounded
from flying since he refused his vaccination Dec. 3. He ini
tially was charged with disobeying an order, punishable by
up to five years in prison.
Bates’ said his concerns grew after he saw members of
his squadron become sick soon after starting the vaccina
tion series.
The Air Force maintains the vaccine is safe, though man
ufacture of it was temporarily halted in December after the
Food and Drug Administration found numerous violations
in an inspection of the Michigan plant that makes it.
Military law still allows the Air Force to pursue fur
ther discipline if Bates is ordered to take the vaccine and
refuses again.
Sgt. Paul Fazzini, a spokesman for Dover Air Force
Base, said in all likelihood, Bates will face another order
to take the anthrax vaccine.
Government Reform national security subcommittee.
“At best, the vaccine provides some measure of
protection to most who receive it,” says a draft of the
report obtained by The Associated Press. “Just how
much protection is acquired, by whom, for how long
... are questions the Defense Department answers with
an excess of faith but a paucity of science.”
A Defense Department spokesman, Jim Turner, said
Wednesday that Pentagon officials were reviewing the
congressional recommendations.
“Plagued by uncertain supplies, uncertain safety
and unproven efficacy against the anthrax threat,
the mandatory, force-wide immunization program
should be suspended until the Department of De
fense gets approval to use an improved vaccine,”
said Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., chairman
of the subcommittee.
“It is an unrealistically broad undertaking
built on a dangerously narrow scientific, medical
and industrial base,” he said. “The consequences
are we have some men and women getting sick.”
Pentagon and Food and Drug Administration
officials have said repeatedly the vaccine is safe
and effective. FDA officials also say there is no
basis for demoting the approved vaccine to an in
vestigational drug category.
The 80-page report was written by the sub
committee’s Republican majority after five hear
ings on the immunization program.
The vaccine has come under increasing
scrutiny from lawmakers as soldiers have ex
pressed concerns about taking the six-shot regi
men. Complaints included fevers, muscle pain
and dizziness. Reserv e and National Guard pilots
testified that morale was plummeting and col
leagues would resign rather than take the vaccine.
“They are also flying our domestic planes, and
if there are side-effects, the airlines have to wor
ry about this too,” said Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind.
In 1998, Defense Secretary William Cohen or
dered all active duty and reserve troops to get the
shots, starting with soldiers most likely to encounter
biological warfare overseas. More than 380,000 ser
vice members have been immunized so far.
About 200 to 300 have refused to take it be
cause of concerns about its safety and efficacy,
Pentagon officials say.
More than 400 reports of adverse reactions
have been filed. While FDA officials have linked
the vaccine to few of the reactions with a high lev
el of confidence, the agency has not been able to
rule it out entirely.
■iday, Februai
Speechless
“You want a speech? I can’t even breathe,” said Park Knight (facing), Care Team adviser. Wes Capps. Care Team
President and sophomore psychology major, hugs Knight after being presented with the National Collegiate Advisa |
of the Year award. The award was presented to Knight Thursday because he was unable to attend the conference.lt
was kept a secret until the presentation. Jeremy Hyde, EMS assistant chief and senior management major, looksoul
S.C. expects high voter turnou
BUSH
WASHINGTON (AP) — When letter
carrier Bill Wilson of Anderson, S.C., talks
| to people on his rounds
; he hears lots of chatter
about the state’s GOP
presidential primary
from Republicans, inde
pendents and Democrats
alike.
“I think there will be
quite a bit of voting by
independents and De
mocrats, just from delivering mail and talk
ing to people,” said Wilson, a Republican.
“Just from walking the streets. I see a lot of
McCain and Bush signs in the yards.”
Wilson’s perception is backed up by
polls suggesting that turnout Saturday will
be the highest of any GOP presidential pri
mary in the state. Polls and campaign-
watchers are finding plenty of enthusiasm
for Sen. John McCain and an energized
GOP base for Gov. George W. Bush — el
ements for a hot contest, indeed.
“They are ignited," Clemson University
political scientist David Woodard said of
core Republicans rallying for Bush. “They
are glowing in the dark.”
State Republican officials have printed
an additional 400,000 ballots to be sure they
have enough.
Turnout in the 1996 Republican prima
ry was 276,000 and a third of the voters
identified themselves as independents or
Democrats, according to exit polls. State
GOP director J. Sam Daniels said he ex
pects more than 300,000 voters this time,
and possibly many more.
In polls out Wednesday, Bush had a 2-
to-1 lead or better among Republicans
while McCain held a slightly bigger margin
among independents and Democrats.
Bush and McCain were in a dead heat in
a Los Angeles Times poll out early this
week in which 45 percent of the respon
dents were non-Republicans. In polls with
a smaller sampling of non-Republic!
40 percent — Bush has held a slimles
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Avnet, Inc.
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You may not know the name, but Avnet is a leading electronics
distribution employer, with 11,000 employees worldwide.
Avnet is a fortune 500 company with 272 locations worldwide. If
this interests you, please join us Monday, February 21st from
7:00 -8:15 p.m. for a company information presentation in Room
404 Rudder.
We have job opportunities available for May 2000 Industrial
Distribution Management and Marketing graduates. Also avail
able are summer internships for EDM majors with anticipated
graduation dates by May 2001.
If you are unable to attend the presentation and have an interest in
erpployment with Avnet, please visit our website at
www.avnet.com or contact career services for information on our
on-campus interviews on February 22-24.
50th Annual
NATIONAL CNGINHRING W£H
February 20 - 26, 2000
OP
eo
\o
N\\
vAd\°' s
G om
Free Food
es Q na Pn ze .
Sunday (2/20)
8:30 am
Noon - 2 pm
Monday (2/21)
11:30 am -2 pm
5:30-7:15 pm
Tuesday (2/22)
All Day (9-3)
6 -11 pm
Wednesday (2/23)
10 am-2 pm
5:30 - 6:45 pm
Thursday (2/24)
10 am - 3 pm
SWE Fun Run @ Research Park
Free Fajita Kickoff Lunch @ Rec Center
Free Zachry Lawn Lunch (Subway);
Prof Dunking Booth
Society Scavenger Hunt@Research Park
Art Gallery — Zachry lobby
AlChE basketball tournament (3) Rec
Professors Sharing Research in Zachry
lobby
II Digital Light Processing demo
Computer Games @ MSC; Bungee Run
@ Rudder Fountain
7-11 pm Social & Pool/42 tournament @ The
Rack Warehouse
Friday (2/25)
Last day Penny Wars - students manning tables in Zachry
Saturday (2/26)
Engineering Day at the Mall!
For more information call 847-8567 or check us out
at sec.tamu.edu
sponsored by the Student Engineers' Council