[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5620 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5620

 To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to make anthrax vaccines 
 and antimicrobials available to emergency response providers, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 18, 2014

  Mr. King of New York (for himself and Mr. Pascrell) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland 
Security, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to make anthrax vaccines 
 and antimicrobials available to emergency response providers, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``First Responder Anthrax Preparedness 
Act''.

SEC. 2. ANTHRAX VACCINATION PROGRAM FOR FIRST RESPONDERS.

    (a) Anthrax Preparedness.--
            (1) In general.--Title V of the Homeland Security Act of 
        2002 (Public Law 107-296; 6 U.S.C. 311 et seq.) is amended by 
        adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 526. Anthrax preparedness
    ``(a) Vaccination Program for First Emergency Response Providers.--
For the purpose of domestic preparedness for and collective response to 
terrorism, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall make available surplus 
vaccines and antimicrobials and vaccines and antimicrobials with short 
shelf lives, from the strategic national stockpile under section 319F-
2(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6b(a)) to 
emergency response providers for administration to such providers who 
voluntarily consent to such administration, and shall--
            ``(1) establish any necessary logistical and tracking 
        systems to facilitate making such vaccines and antimicrobials 
        so available; and
            ``(2) distribute disclosures regarding associated risks to 
        end users.
    ``(b) Threat Assessment.--The Under Secretary for Intelligence and 
Analysis shall--
            ``(1) support homeland security-focused risk analysis and 
        risk assessments of the threats posed by anthrax from an act of 
        terror;
            ``(2) leverage existing and emerging homeland security 
        intelligence capabilities and structures to enhance prevention, 
        protection, response, and recovery efforts with respect to an 
        anthrax terror attack; and
            ``(3) share information and provide tailored analytical 
        support on threats posed by anthrax to State, local, and tribal 
        authorities, as well as other national biosecurity and 
        biodefense stakeholders.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections in section 
        1(b) of such Act is amended by inserting at the end of the 
        items relating to title V the following new item:

``Sec. 526. Anthrax preparedness.''.
    (b) Pilot Program.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the vaccination program 
        authorized in section 526(a) of the Homeland Security Act of 
        2002, as added by subsection (a), the Secretary shall conduct 
        an 18-month pilot program to administer vaccines and 
        antimicrobials to emergency response providers as so 
        authorized.
            (2) Location.--In carrying out the pilot program under this 
        subsection, the Secretary shall select emergency response 
        providers based in at least two States for participation in the 
        pilot program.
            (3) Distribution of information.--The Secretary shall 
        provide to each emergency response provider who participates in 
        the pilot program under this subsection disclosures and 
        educational materials regarding the associated risks of any 
        vaccine or antimicrobial administered under the pilot program 
        and of exposure to anthrax.
            (4) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the completion of 
        the pilot program under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
        submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
        Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the results of 
        the pilot program. The report shall include a plan under which 
        the Secretary plans to continue to make vaccines and 
        antimicrobials available to emergency response providers under 
        section 526(a) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
            (5) Deadline for implementation.--The Secretary shall begin 
        implementing the pilot program under this subsection by not 
        later than the date that is 180 days after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act.
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