House Holds Hearing on Response to H1N1

WASHINGTON (AP) - A House committee looks into the federal
response to the H1N1 virus at a hearing today on Capitol Hill.
    The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can
expect some tough questioning about the availability of the swine
flu vaccine.
    Meanwhile, a senior House lawmaker is seeking a quick floor vote
on a bill to guarantee five paid sick days to workers if their
employer tells them to stay home with swine flu or a similar
contagious illness.
    House Education and Labor Committee chairman George Miller says
his measure would protect about 50 million workers with no paid
sick leave.
    Many of those employees work in low-wage jobs in food service
and hospitality, where they would be exposed to others and could
spread their sickness. He says those workers shouldn’t have to
choose between their paychecks and the health of co-workers or
customers.