Washington, DC - Congressman Edolphus Towns, 10th District, New York, has persuaded Government Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman to hold the hearing, "Drug-Resistant Infections in the Community:  Consequences for Public Health."  The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, November 7, 2007 at 9:15am in Room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

This hearing will focus on understanding Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that is being contracted outside of the hospital setting and that is now finding its way into our schools.  This hearing will examine these infections in the community, and the measures people can take to reduce the risk of contracting MRSA infections.

It was the death of 12-year-old Brooklyn resident Omar Rivera that prompted Congressman Towns to push for this hearing in an effort to find a way to prevent other children from dying of this dreadful disease.

"First, I offer my condolences to Omar's family and I hope they are able to work through this tragedy," said Congressman Towns.  "There seems to be little known about MRSA.  We need to figure out how and incur whatever expense necessary to protect our children," added Congressman Towns.

Among the witnesses scheduled to testify at the hearing are:

• Dr. Julie Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H., Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Dr. James Burns, M.D., M.B.A., Chief Deputy Commissioner for Public Health, Virginia Department of Health Services, Richmond, Virginia

• Dr. Eric Gayle, M.D., Medical Director for the Institute for Family and Urban Health in the Bronx

• Dr. Elizabeth A. Bancroft, M.D., S. M., Medical Epidemiologist, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Los Angeles, California

• Mr. Steven L. Walts, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, Prince William County Schools, Manassas, Virginia.

This week, Congressman Towns will be introducing two pieces of legislation for the purposes of MRSA research and to create incentives for developing infectious diseases products.

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