Federal officials practiced what they would do if there were a flu pandemic. About 20 Cabinet secretaries and government officials were part of the four-hour test. Their conclusion is that local communities are going to have to step up to help save lives and contain the economic damage. They also said more vaccines and medications have to be made.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, Treasury Secretary John Snow, Federal Reserve Chairman-designate Ben Bernanke, who is currently head of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, and more than a dozen cabinet officers and military generals participated in today's exercise, which focused on the federal government's response to a potential outbreak.

Bush has asked Congress for $7.1 billion to better prepare for bird flu with measures such as stockpiles of drugs and new vaccines. The effort was given added urgency after widespread criticism of the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina in August.