[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7531 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7531

   To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to increase 
Federal efforts to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies 
   with respect to the spread of infectious diseases, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 9, 2020

   Mr. Higgins of New York introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to increase 
Federal efforts to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies 
   with respect to the spread of infectious diseases, 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 ``Infectious Disease Epidemic and 
Pandemic Preparedness Act''.

SEC. 2. INCREASED PREPARATION AND RESPONSE FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

    (a) National Medical Command.--Title III of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241 et seq.) is amended by inserting after 
section 319M the following:

``SEC. 319N. NATIONAL MEDICAL COMMAND.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
appropriate Federal agencies and departments, shall establish an 
interagency task force to be known as the National Medical Command to 
prepare for and respond to a public health emergency for which a 
declaration is in effect under section 319 with respect to an 
infectious disease.
    ``(b) Duties.--The National Medical Command shall--
            ``(1) coordinate measures between Federal agencies to 
        prevent and respond to a public health emergency described in 
        subsection (a);
            ``(2) taking into consideration the coordinated strategy 
        required under section 2802(a), develop a strategic plan to 
        respond to a pandemic, including identifying strategies that 
        may not be identified in such coordinated strategy; and
            ``(3) in coordination with the Director of the Centers for 
        Disease Control and Prevention, develop a public health 
        surveillance system with respect to any infectious diseases 
        that has a high mortality rate.
    ``(c) Membership.--
            ``(1) Represented offices, agencies, and departments.--The 
        National Medical Command shall be composed of representatives 
        of Federal agencies, offices, and departments, which shall 
        include the following:
                    ``(A) The Centers for Disease Control and 
                Prevention.
                    ``(B) The National Institute of Allergy and 
                Infectious Diseases.
                    ``(C) The Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
                Preparedness and Response of the Department of Health 
                and Human Services.
                    ``(D) The Office of Global Affairs of the 
                Department of Health and Human Services.
                    ``(E) The Occupational Safety and Health 
                Administration.
                    ``(F) The Federal Emergency Management Agency.
                    ``(G) The Department of Defense.
                    ``(H) The Department of Transportation.
                    ``(I) The Department of State.
                    ``(J) The Environmental Protection Agency.
                    ``(K) The National Security Council.
                    ``(L) The Agency for International Development.
                    ``(M) The intelligence community.
            ``(2) Requirements.--Each representative under paragraph 
        (1) shall--
                    ``(A) have appropriate technical expertise with 
                respect to the duties of the National Medical Command; 
                and
                    ``(B) be selected by the head of the agency, 
                department, or office described in such paragraph.
    ``(d) National Medical Commander.--The Secretary shall appoint a 
chair of the National Medical Command from among the members of the 
National Medical Command to be known as the Medical Commander for 
Pandemic Preparedness and Response (in this section referred to as the 
`Medical Commander').
    ``(e) Duration.--Notwithstanding section 14(a) of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act, the National Medical Command shall continue in 
existence until otherwise provided by law.''.
    (b) Early Detection and Early Warning Systems Management.--Section 
319D of the Public Health Service Act (247d-4) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b), by inserting ``, in coordination 
        with the National Medical Command'' after the first instance of 
        ``Secretary''; and
            (2) in subsection (c), in paragraph (1), by striking 
        ``Secretary,'' and inserting ``Secretary, in coordination with 
        the National Medical Command and''.
    (c) Administration Over National Strategic Stockpile.--Section 
319F-2(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6b(a)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``Response'' and 
        inserting ``Response, the Medical Commander for Pandemic 
        Preparedness and Response,''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A)--
                            (i) by striking ``Secretary'' and inserting 
                        ``Secretary, in collaboration with the Medical 
                        Commander for Pandemic Preparedness and 
                        Response,'';
                            (ii) by striking ``an annual'' and 
                        inserting ``a biannual''; and
                            (iii) by inserting ``and September 15'' 
                        after ``March 15''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``annual'' and 
                inserting ``biannual''.
    (d) Strategic Plan To Address Infectious Diseases.--
            (1) Strategic plan.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the 
                National Institutes of Health (in this section referred 
                to as the ``Director''), in consultation with the 
                Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and 
                Development Authority and the Commissioner of Food and 
                Drugs, shall prepare and submit to Congress a strategic 
                plan for fiscal years 2021 through 2030 to identify, 
                treat, and develop vaccines for infectious diseases. 
                Such plan shall take into consideration, the 
                coordinated strategy developed pursuant to section 
                2802(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
                300hh-1(a)).
                    (B) Content.--The plan under subparagraph (A) shall 
                address the following:
                            (i) Research of pathogens, including 
                        research on the origins of zoonotic pathogens.
                            (ii) The development of cooperative 
                        partnerships to determine treatments and 
                        vaccines for COVID-19, and other similar 
                        infectious diseases.
                            (iii) A strategy to fund clinical trials to 
                        determine which pathogens demonstrate a high 
                        mortality rate and high rate of infection.
                            (iv) The development of partnerships with 
                        private entities to allow such entities to 
                        eliminate industry risk.
            (2) Expedited approval.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, 
        may designate a treatment or vaccine identified in the plan 
        under this subsection as a breakthrough therapy, a fast track 
        product, or eligible for accelerated approval as appropriate 
        under section 506 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act 
        (21 U.S.C. 356).
            (3) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated to the Director to carry out this subsection 
        $1,000,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2021 through 2030.
    (e) Community-Based Prevention Strategies Grant Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
        shall award grants to community-based organizations for the 
        purpose of preventing, identifying, tracking, and responding to 
        infectious diseases, including reducing or eliminating health 
        disparities with respect to race, gender, and socioeconomic 
        status.
            (2) Priority.--The Secretary may give priority to 
        organizations that prioritize vulnerable populations and the 
        treatment of individuals who are at a higher risk of mortality 
        as a result of an infectious disease, including--
                    (A) the elderly;
                    (B) children;
                    (C) the immunocompromised;
                    (D) the homeless; and
                    (E) individuals who have a low income.
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