Anthrax Labs Inspection Deadline Missed

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3381548,00.html



WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration has
missed a deadline to certify more than 500
research laboratories that use anthrax and other
dangerous biological agents, partly because
required background checks on thousands of
employees are not finished, a senator said
Wednesday.

A law passed last year set new safeguards on
research involving potential bioterrorism agents,
including that labs handling certain agents be
certified to ensure they meet security
requirements. The deadline for certification was
Wednesday.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., said that as of Nov.
3, none of the 513 labs awaiting certification had
actually gotten it, partly because the FBI still has
3,600 background checks on workers to
complete.

Lieberman called the delay particularly striking
because the government received hundreds fewer
applications from research labs than it had
anticipated.

to the Bushies' plan of a "surprise" for the Democratic nominee next year perhaps? It seems Democrats are the only people on the special mailing list. Wouldn't put it past them.