Government agencies aren’t making the grade when it comes to protecting the country from threats of bioterrorism, according to a congressional commission report released this week. The report—which issued grades in categories such as biological risk, nuclear risk, preparedness, and government reform—also admonished Congress for poor oversight of national security and failing to provide security education and training.

"Nearly a decade after September 11, 2001, one year after our original report, and one month after the Christmas Day bombing attempt, the United States is failing to address several urgent threats, especially bioterrorism," Bob Graham, former senator and commission chairman, stated in a press release.

The nine-member Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism was established to assess the effectiveness of efforts to stanch terrorism. A 2008 report, World at Risk, offered strategies and recommendations to reach that goal. This year’s report looked at the progress made in implementing those recommendations.

Although many of the grades were good, the failures can be seen as troubling—especially concerning bioterrorism, a threat that the 2008 report determined was preeminent yet lagging in preparedness initiatives.

"H1N1 came with months of warning," CNN quoted the most recent report as stating. "But even with time to prepare, the epidemic peaked before most Americans had access to vaccine. A bioattack will come with no such warning."

Congress’s ability to address security and intelligence issues was also seen as a problem, with the machinery clogged by excessive bureaucracy.

“We are also enormously frustrated about the failure of Congress to reform homeland security oversight,” stated commission member and former Sen. Jim Talent. “The Department can’t do its job if it is responding to more than 80 congressional committees and sub-committees. This fragmentation guarantees that much of what Congress does is duplicative and disjointed.”

High grades were given for strategies that advance bioforensic capabilities, review of a program to secure dangerous pathogens, and the integration of the National Security and Homeland Security Councils.