Testimony of Juliette Kayyem Before the Members of the Joint Committee on Public Health

Dear Members of the Joint Committee on Public Health,

My name is Juliette Kayyem.  I am the Faculty Chair of the Homeland Security and the Security and Global Health Projects at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, a former Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, and former Homeland Security Advisor to then-Governor Deval Patrick.  I have spent my career — in various roles — seeking to protect our homeland. I am also a mother of three children; my book is entitled Security Mom because I believe, in the end, that our greatest homeland security priority is our responsibility to minimize the risks our children face from harms both man-made and natural.

So, I want to start off with my personal feelings here. I believe that anti-vaxxers love their children and I know I love mine; I also know that I love their children more than they love mine. I don't mince words here. We know from the U.S. intelligence agencies that Russians are promoting a strong anti-vax campaign to manipulate divisions in our society, to make us believe that 2 plus 2 doesn't equal four. Religious exceptions are also being manipulated to allow for those parents who choose not to protect their community. 

Why so direct? There are challenges our children face in this world: terrorism and the rise of white supremacy, gun violence, opioids, climate change. Happily, one of the risks our children do not face — because science and medicine have found a cure — a public health pandemic of diseases that used to kill our most vulnerable and youngest. 

What I want to do is quickly help you consider how S. 2359/H. 4096 fits squarely into our homeland security priorities.

• Strong security requires situational awareness. Situational awareness describes mechanisms in place that ensure that there is transparency and notification of a potential threat. The legislation is smart in that it sets standards and regulates oversight to ensure that there is statewide situational awareness.
• Strong security requires standards and minimizing "weakest links." No security system is perfect, but much can be done to protect the greatest number of people. Generally, we do this by standard setting and strong governance. The legislation promotes community resiliency by having unified standards for all through DPH. School districts are in no position to make these determinations since the potential for error can have such dire consequences.
• Strong security requires exposing the possibility of free riders. Those who "choose" not to vaccinate are putting the rest of us at risk; this legislation requires notification to parents directly in the event of risky protective rates in their community. 

In other words, we should not view this legislation as simply about public health. It is about public safety, our homeland security and our resiliency. It is a start. And an important one. 

I am happy to answer any questions.