[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 391 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 391

  To authorize a comprehensive, strategic approach for United States 
foreign assistance to developing countries to strengthen global health 
                   security, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 21, 2021

   Mr. Connolly (for himself, Mr. Chabot, Mrs. Wagner, Mr. Bera, Mr. 
   Fitzpatrick, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Ms. Bass, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. 
Beyer, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Case, Mr. 
 Casten, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Cole, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Costa, 
 Ms. Dean, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Lois Frankel of 
 Florida, Mr. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Mr. Hastings, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. 
  Houlahan, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Keating, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. 
 Langevin, Mr. Levin of Michigan, Mr. Lieu, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Malinowski, 
 Mr. McGovern, Ms. Meng, Ms. Norton, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Rush, Mr. Sean 
 Patrick Maloney of New York, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Sires, Mr. 
 Soto, Ms. Spanberger, Mr. Suozzi, Ms. Titus, Mr. Tonko, Mrs. Trahan, 
    Mr. Trone, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Wexton, Mr. Wilson of South 
  Carolina, and Ms. Sanchez) introduced the following bill; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize a comprehensive, strategic approach for United States 
foreign assistance to developing countries to strengthen global health 
                   security, 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 ``Global Health Security Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) In December 2009, President Obama released the National 
        Strategy for Countering Biological Threats, which listed as one 
        of seven objectives ``Promote global health security: Increase 
        the availability of and access to knowledge and products of the 
        life sciences that can help reduce the impact from outbreaks of 
        infectious disease whether of natural, accidental, or 
        deliberate origin''.
            (2) In February 2014, the United States and nearly 30 other 
        nations launched the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) to 
        address several high-priority, global infectious disease 
        threats. The GHSA is a multi-faceted, multi-country initiative 
        intended to accelerate partner countries' measurable 
        capabilities to achieve specific targets to prevent, detect, 
        and respond to infectious disease threats, whether naturally 
        occurring, deliberate, or accidental.
            (3) In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable 
        Development Goals (SDGs), which include specific reference to 
        the importance of global health security as part of SDG 3 
        ``ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all 
        ages'' as follows: ``strengthen the capacity of all countries, 
        in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk 
        reduction and management of national and global health risks''.
            (4) On November 4, 2016, President Obama signed Executive 
        Order No. 13747, ``Advancing the Global Health Security Agenda 
        to Achieve a World Safe and Secure from Infectious Disease 
        Threats''.
            (5) In October 2017 at the GHSA Ministerial Meeting in 
        Uganda, the United States and more than 40 GHSA member 
        countries supported the ``Kampala Declaration'' to extend the 
        GHSA for an additional 5 years to 2024.
            (6) In December 2017, President Trump released the National 
        Security Strategy, which includes the priority action: ``Detect 
        and contain biothreats at their source: We will work with other 
        countries to detect and mitigate outbreaks early to prevent the 
        spread of disease. We will encourage other countries to invest 
        in basic health care systems and to strengthen global health 
        security across the intersection of human and animal health to 
        prevent infectious disease outbreaks''.
            (7) In September 2018, President Trump released the 
        National Biodefense Strategy, which includes objectives to 
        ``strengthen global health security capacities to prevent local 
        bioincidents from becoming epidemics'', and ``strengthen 
        international preparedness to support international response 
        and recovery capabilities''.

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    It is the policy of the United States to--
            (1) promote global health security as a core national 
        security interest;
            (2) advance the aims of the Global Health Security Agenda;
            (3) collaborate with other countries to detect and mitigate 
        outbreaks early to prevent the spread of disease;
            (4) encourage other countries to invest in basic resilient 
        and sustainable health care systems; and
            (5) strengthen global health security across the 
        intersection of human and animal health to prevent infectious 
        disease outbreaks and combat the growing threat of 
        antimicrobial resistance.

SEC. 4. GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY AGENDA INTERAGENCY REVIEW COUNCIL.

    (a) Establishment.--The President shall establish a Global Health 
Security Agenda Interagency Review Council (in this section referred to 
as the ``Council'') to perform the general responsibilities described 
in subsection (c) and the specific roles and responsibilities described 
in subsection (e).
    (b) Meetings.--The Council shall meet not less than four times per 
year to advance its mission and fulfill its responsibilities.
    (c) General Responsibilities.--The Council shall be responsible for 
the following activities:
            (1) Provide policy-level recommendations to participating 
        agencies on Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) goals, 
        objectives, and implementation.
            (2) Facilitate interagency, multi-sectoral engagement to 
        carry out GHSA implementation.
            (3) Provide a forum for raising and working to resolve 
        interagency disagreements concerning the GHSA.
            (4)(A) Review the progress toward and work to resolve 
        challenges in achieving United States commitments under the 
        GHSA, including commitments to assist other countries in 
        achieving the GHSA targets.
            (B) The Council shall consider, among other issues, the 
        following:
                    (i) The status of United States financial 
                commitments to the GHSA in the context of commitments 
                by other donors, and the contributions of partner 
                countries to achieve the GHSA targets.
                    (ii) The progress toward the milestones outlined in 
                GHSA national plans for those countries where the 
                United States Government has committed to assist in 
                implementing the GHSA and in annual work-plans 
                outlining agency priorities for implementing the GHSA.
                    (iii) The external evaluations of United States and 
                partner country capabilities to address infectious 
                disease threats, including the ability to achieve the 
                targets outlined within the WHO Joint External 
                Evaluation (JEE) tool, as well as gaps identified by 
                such external evaluations.
    (d) Participation.--The Council shall consist of representatives, 
serving at the Assistant Secretary level or higher, from the following 
agencies:
            (1) The Department of State.
            (2) The Department of Defense.
            (3) The Department of Justice.
            (4) The Department of Agriculture.
            (5) The Department of Health and Human Services.
            (6) The Department of Labor.
            (7) The Department of Homeland Security.
            (8) The Office of Management and Budget.
            (9) The United States Agency for International Development.
            (10) The Environmental Protection Agency.
            (11) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
            (12) The Office of Science and Technology Policy.
            (13) The National Institutes of Health.
            (14) The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious 
        Diseases.
            (15) Such other agencies as the Council determines to be 
        appropriate.
    (e) Specific Roles and Responsibilities.--
            (1) In general.--The heads of agencies described in 
        subsection (d) shall--
                    (A) make the GHSA and its implementation a high 
                priority within their respective agencies, and include 
                GHSA-related activities within their respective 
                agencies' strategic planning and budget processes;
                    (B) designate a senior-level official to be 
                responsible for the implementation of this Act;
                    (C) designate, in accordance with subsection (d), 
                an appropriate representative at the Assistant 
                Secretary level or higher to participate on the 
                Council;
                    (D) keep the Council apprised of GHSA-related 
                activities undertaken within their respective agencies;
                    (E) maintain responsibility for agency-related 
                programmatic functions in coordination with host 
                governments, country teams, and GHSA in-country teams, 
                and in conjunction with other relevant agencies;
                    (F) coordinate with other agencies that are 
                identified in this section to satisfy programmatic 
                goals, and further facilitate coordination of country 
                teams, implementers, and donors in host countries; and
                    (G) coordinate across GHSA national plans and with 
                GHSA partners to which the United States is providing 
                assistance.
            (2) Additional roles and responsibilities.--In addition to 
        the roles and responsibilities described in paragraph (1), the 
        heads of agencies described in subsection (d) shall carry out 
        their respective roles and responsibilities described in 
        subsections (b) through (i) of section 3 of Executive Order No. 
        13747 (81 Fed. Reg. 78701; relating to Advancing the Global 
        Health Security Agenda to Achieve a World Safe and Secure from 
        Infectious Disease Threats), as in effect on the day before the 
        date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 5. UNITED STATES COORDINATOR FOR GLOBAL HEALTH SECURITY.

    (a) In General.--The President shall appoint an individual to the 
position of United States Coordinator for Global Health Security, who 
shall be responsible for the coordination of the interagency process 
for responding to global health security emergencies. As appropriate, 
the designee shall coordinate with the President's Special Coordinator 
for International Disaster Assistance.
    (b) Congressional Briefing.--Not less frequently than twice each 
year, the employee designated under this section shall provide to the 
appropriate congressional committees a briefing on the responsibilities 
and activities of the individual under this section.

SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that, given the complex and 
multisectoral nature of global health threats to the United States, the 
President--
            (1) should consider appointing an individual with 
        significant background and expertise in public health or 
        emergency response management to the position of United States 
        Coordinator for Global Health Security, as required by section 
        5(a), who is an employee of the National Security Council at 
        the level of Deputy Assistant to the President or higher; and
            (2) in providing assistance to implement the strategy 
        required under section 7(a), should--
                    (A) coordinate, through a whole-of-government 
                approach, the efforts of relevant Federal departments 
                and agencies to implement the strategy;
                    (B) seek to fully utilize the unique capabilities 
                of each relevant Federal department and agency while 
                collaborating with and leveraging the contributions of 
                other key stakeholders; and
                    (C) utilize open and streamlined solicitations to 
                allow for the participation of a wide range of 
                implementing partners through the most appropriate 
                procurement mechanisms, which may include grants, 
                contracts, cooperative agreements, and other 
                instruments as necessary and appropriate.

SEC. 7. STRATEGY AND REPORTS.

    (a) Strategy.--The United States Coordinator for Global Health 
Security (appointed under section 5(a)) shall coordinate the 
development and implementation of a strategy to implement the policy 
aims described in section 3, which shall--
            (1) set specific and measurable goals, benchmarks, 
        timetables, performance metrics, and monitoring and evaluation 
        plans that reflect international best practices relating to 
        transparency, accountability, and global health security;
            (2) support and be aligned with country-owned global health 
        security policy and investment plans developed with input from 
        key stakeholders, as appropriate;
            (3) facilitate communication and collaboration, as 
        appropriate, among local stakeholders in support of a multi-
        sectoral approach to global health security;
            (4) support the long-term success of programs by building 
        the capacity of local organizations and institutions in target 
        countries and communities;
            (5) develop community resilience to infectious disease 
        threats and emergencies;
            (6) leverage resources and expertise through partnerships 
        with the private sector, health organizations, civil society, 
        nongovernmental organizations, and health research and academic 
        institutions; and
            (7) support collaboration, as appropriate, between United 
        States universities, and public and private institutions in 
        target countries and communities to promote health security and 
        innovation.
    (b) Coordination.--The President, acting through the United States 
Coordinator for Global Health Security, shall coordinate, through a 
whole-of-government approach, the efforts of relevant Federal 
departments and agencies in the implementation of the strategy required 
under subsection (a) by--
            (1) establishing monitoring and evaluation systems, 
        coherence, and coordination across relevant Federal departments 
        and agencies; and
            (2) establishing platforms for regular consultation and 
        collaboration with key stakeholders and the appropriate 
        congressional committees.
    (c) Strategy Submission.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the President, in consultation with 
        the head of each relevant Federal department and agency, shall 
        submit to the appropriate congressional committees the strategy 
        required under subsection (a) that provides a detailed 
        description of how the United States intends to advance the 
        policy set forth in section 3 and the agency-specific plans 
        described in paragraph (2).
            (2) Agency-specific plans.--The strategy required under 
        subsection (a) shall include specific implementation plans from 
        each relevant Federal department and agency that describes--
                    (A) the anticipated contributions of the department 
                or agency, including technical, financial, and in-kind 
                contributions, to implement the strategy; and
                    (B) the efforts of the department or agency to 
                ensure that the activities and programs carried out 
                pursuant to the strategy are designed to achieve 
                maximum impact and long-term sustainability.
    (d) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
        which the strategy required under subsection (a) is submitted 
        to the appropriate congressional committees under subsection 
        (c), and not later than October 1 of each year thereafter, the 
        President shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
        committees a report that describes the status of the 
        implementation of the strategy.
            (2) Contents.--The report required under paragraph (1) 
        shall--
                    (A) identify any substantial changes made in the 
                strategy during the preceding calendar year;
                    (B) describe the progress made in implementing the 
                strategy;
                    (C) identify the indicators used to establish 
                benchmarks and measure results over time, as well as 
                the mechanisms for reporting such results in an open 
                and transparent manner;
                    (D) contain a transparent, open, and detailed 
                accounting of expenditures by relevant Federal 
                departments and agencies to implement the strategy, 
                including, to the extent practicable, for each Federal 
                department and agency, the statutory source of 
                expenditures, amounts expended, partners, targeted 
                populations, and types of activities supported;
                    (E) describe how the strategy leverages other 
                United States global health and development assistance 
                programs;
                    (F) assess efforts to coordinate United States 
                global health security programs, activities, and 
                initiatives with key stakeholders;
                    (G) incorporate a plan for regularly reviewing and 
                updating strategies, partnerships, and programs and 
                sharing lessons learned with a wide range of 
                stakeholders, including key stakeholders, in an open, 
                transparent manner; and
                    (H) describe the progress achieved and challenges 
                concerning the United States Government's ability to 
                advance the Global Health Security Agenda across 
                priority countries, including data disaggregated by 
                priority country using indicators that are consistent 
                on a year-to-year basis and recommendations to resolve, 
                mitigate, or otherwise address the challenges 
                identified therein.
    (e) Form.--The strategy required under subsection (a) and the 
report required under subsection (d) shall be submitted in unclassified 
form but may contain a classified annex.

SEC. 8. COMPLIANCE WITH THE FOREIGN AID TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY 
              ACT OF 2016.

    Section 2(3) of the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act 
of 2016 (Public Law 114-191; 22 U.S.C. 2394c note) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(E) the Global Health Security Act of 2021.''.

SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
            (2) Global health security.--The term ``global health 
        security'' means activities supporting epidemic and pandemic 
        preparedness and capabilities at the country and global levels 
        in order to minimize vulnerability to acute public health 
        events that can endanger the health of populations across 
        geographical regions and international boundaries.

SEC. 10. SUNSET.

    This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, (other than section 
5) shall cease to be effective on December 31, 2025.
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