{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/source-new-mexico-senators-call-for-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-vaccine", "Source New Mexico: Senators call for highly pathogenic avian influenza vaccine", "2025-12-12", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "NM", "Martin Heinrich", "H001046", "www.heinrich.senate.gov", "heinrich", "https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Nearly two dozen U.S. senators urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in a letter, to \u201cprioritize\u201d a vaccine strategy for the highly pathogenic avian influenza.\n\nThe virus has impacted more than 184 million commercial and backyard poultry birds and more than 1,000 head of dairy cattle since February 2022.\n\nThe letter comes as detections of the bird flu have increased over the winter months in states across the country, according to reporting from the USDA\u2019s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.\n\nA case of bird flu was detected in Iowa Dec. 2, in a Hamilton County commercial turkey flock, and as recently as Tuesday in flocks in Indiana, North Dakota, Minnesota and Washington.\n\nThe bipartisan letter, which included Iowa Republicans Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, said a \u201cthoughtful and comprehensive vaccine strategy\u201d would \u201cstrengthen\u201d the nation\u2019s ability to fight the bird flu, as it prepares for a \u201cresurgence.\u201d\n\nU.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins launched a $1 billion plan in February to combat the ongoing outbreak of the H5N1 virus. Part of that plan included $100 million for research into a bird flu vaccine and other potential treatments.\n\nThe letter said USDA has a \u201cdraft proposal of an avian flu vaccine strategy for poultry\u201d that is \u201ccurrently under review\u201d and the signed senators urged the department to advance the process with \u201cspeed and diligence.\u201d\n\nA draft proposal for a bird flu vaccine strategy had not been filed in the Federal Register as of Friday. In June, Reuters reported USDA was \u201cconsidering\u201d a plan to vaccinate poultry for HPAI and expected the plan would be completed in July.\n\nUSDA did not respond Friday to a request for comment and for additional information on the vaccination plan.\n\nMembers of the Congressional Chicken Caucus, representing the interests of poultry producing states, submitted a letter to Rollins in February, noting they were wary of a vaccine, as it might interrupt export markets.\n\nWhile the December letter from senators urged the advancement of the vaccine process, it also asked for \u201cproactive consultation with affected stakeholders.\u201d\n\n\u201cAny finalized vaccine strategy must take into account feedback from animal health stakeholders, industry experts, and be grounded in sound science,\u201d the letter said.\n\nSenators said the vaccine strategy should also address \u201call impacted species\u201d of poultry and that the department should then prioritize a vaccine strategy for dairy cattle.\n\n\u201cFinally, as the USDA rolls out any avian flu vaccine strategy, it is critical that clear and transparent communication to producers, veterinarians, and state animal health officials, along with direct guidance and resources are in place,\u201d the letter said.\n\nThe letter was addressed to Rollins and dated Dec. 11. Signees included: Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota; Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota; Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania; Sen. John Thune R-South Dakota; Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona; Sen. James Justice, R-West Virginia; Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Michigan; Sen. Michael Lee, R-Utah; Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York; Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa; Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia; Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio; Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minnesota; Sen. Ted Budd, R-North Carolina; Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia; Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa; Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colorado; Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana; Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico; Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio; Sen. Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n, D-New Mexico.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/source-new-mexico-senators-call-for-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-vaccine"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9930669330060482, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}